BR 1704 .G3 Gates, Herbert Wright, 1868 Heroes of the faith THE BIBLE STUDY UNION LESSONS THE COMPLETELY GRADED SERIES Heroes of the Faith y HERBERT WRIGHT GATES Charles P. Kent. Ph.D. 1 ^ George A. Coe. Ph.D., LL.D. / ^°"^"'''«« ^^''<"'^ C'HAkLE{5 SCRIBNER'S SONS New York Copyright 1909, by the Bible Study Publishing Co., Boston. Introduction LESSONS m THE COURSE FIRST QUARTER. Lesson 1. Abraham. About 18th century b. c. A Pioneer of the Olden Time . Lesson 2. David Livingstone. 1813-1873. Missionary and Explorer Lesson 3. David Livingstone. A Pioneer in Central Africa Lesson 4. Moses. About 13th century b. c. The Liberator of the Hebrews . Lesson 5. Moses. The Hebrew Lawgiver and Judge Lesson 6. Harriet Beecher Sto we. 1811-1896. Who Aroused a Nation's Conscience . Lesson 7. Samuel Chapman Armstrong. 1839-1893. A Pioneer in the Education of the Freedmen Lesson 8. John Howard. 1726-1790. The Champion of Prison Reform Lesson 9. Florence Nightingale. 1820-1910. A Pioneer in the Red Cross Movement Lesson 10. Guido Fridolin Verbeck. 1830-1898. A Citizen of no Country but Honored by Three Lesson 11. Guido Fridolin Verbeck. A Pioneer in the New Civilization of Japan Lesson 12. Review 1 6 10 15 20 24 29 36 42 48 52 67 SECOND QUARTER. Lesson 13. Eluah. 9th century b. c. Champion of Israel's Faith and Popular Liberties Lesson 14. Amos. 8th century- b. c. The Herdsman Prophet . Lesson 15. Jeremiah. 6th century b. c. The Enlightened Conscience of Judah Lesson 16. John Wyclif. 1324-1384. " The Morning Star of the Reformation ' Lesson 17. Gibglamg Savonarola. 1452-1498. The Patriot Priest of Italy Lesson 18. Glrolamo Savonarola. A Prophet who Met a Prophet's Fate Lesson 19. Martin Luther. 1483-1546. The Hero of the Protestant Reformation Lesson 20. Martin Luther. The Fearless Foe of the Papacy Lesson 21. Gaspard de Coligny. 1517-1572. The Leader of the French Huguenots Lesson 22. John Knox. 1505-1572. " Who Never Feared the Face of Man " Lesson 23. John Knox. The Hero of the Scottish Refonnation Lesson 24. Review Copyright, 1910, by the Bible Study PubllBhlng Company, Boston. 59 64 69 75 81 85 00 05 101 106 111 116 Lessons in the Course THIRD QUARTER. Lesson 25. Paui.. Martyred about 64 a. d. The Persecutor who Became an Apostle Lesson 26. Paul. The Founder of Christian Missions .... Lesson 27. John Eliot. 1604-1690. First Preacher to the Indians . . . . Lesson 28. William Carey. 1761-1834. The Shoemaker who Became " The Father and Founder of Modern Missions " ...... Lesson 29. Adoniram Judson. 1788-1850. Father of American Foreign Missionary Enterprise Lesson 30. Adoniram Judson. The Apostle to the Burmans ..... Lesson 31. Marcus Whitman. 1802-1847. Pioneer, Missionary and Patriot .... Lesson 32. William Taylor. 1821-1902. His Preparation for a World-wide Mission . Lesson 33. William Taylor. A World-wide Herald of the Cross .... Lesson 34. JohnG.Paton. 1824-1907. A Preacher of the Gospel to Cannibals Lesson 35. John G. Paton. The Hero of the New Hebrides .... Lesson 36. Review ......... 119 124 129 134 140 145 149 156 161 166 171 178 FOURTH QUARTER. Lesson 37, Jonathan. 11th century b. c. Who Valued Friendship above a Throne Lesson 38. Esther. 5th century b. c. A Heroine of the Jewish Captivity Lesson 39. Judas Maccabeus. 2d century b. c. The Last of the Great Hebrew Generals Lesson 40. Chinese Gordon. 1833-1885. How he Became a " Yellow Jacket " Lesson 41. Chinese Gordon. A Modern Sir Galahad . Lesson 42. William Penn. 1644-1718. A Man who was Fair Lesson 43. George T. Angell. 1823-1909. Who " Spoke for Those that Cannot Speak for Themselves Lesson 44. Frances E. Willard. 1839-1898. A Pioneer in the Higher Education of Women . Lesson 46. Frances E. Willard. _ Leader of the White Ribbon Host .... Lesson 46. Heroes of To-DAt. . . . . _ Men who Count not their Lives Dear unto Themselvei Lesson 47. Hsroinbs or To-dav. Leaders in Loving Service . . » . . Lesson 48. RMViaw 179 184 190 195 200 206 211 216 220 324 230 235 Kote. Each year's Work is planned to cover forty-eight lessons only, so as to iilow for Bpecial lessons or general exercises for Easter, Children's Day, Rally Sun- aay and Christmas. Classes in schools that close during the summer will arrange a nine months' course of study either by omitting one of the quarters or, better StilU by erpitting from the entire list such characters as the teacher or class may Suggest. The probability that they will be read, warrants the hope that iii many (jasets BUffijnient interest will be aroused to lead to their further study» TO THE PUPIL. This course of study aims to make you acquainted with a few of the men and women who have done great things. Some of these persons have won fame, and their names are known all over the earth. Others are not so well known, but all have tried to do their duty, each in his own way and his own place. It is worth while knowing such people. We would have been glad to know them in life, and to have any of them for neighbors. Although this is not possible for us now, we can come to know them through their works and the influence they have left behind them in the world. And as our poet Longfellow has sung : " Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime." Some of these men lived long, long ago, in the days when the Bible was written. Some of them lived not so long ago. But all of them honored the same God and followed the guidance of His spirit, whether ages ago in Palestine, or here in America. For God still speaks to His children on earth, and leads them no less truly to-day than He did in the days of Abraham and Moses. Each lesson will give you a story about the character that is to be studied. Read this carefully, and be sure that you understand it. Following the story you will find questions and directions for further study and some things to do. Some of this work you can do at home, and the more you do of it, the greater will be your interest in the whole lesson. Most important of all are the questions that call for thought about the things you have read. Ask questions of your teacher and parents until you are sure you have all the information you need, but be careful to do your own thinking. If you are asked to tell what you think of any of the characters, give your own honest judgment. Take pains to make your note-book as neat and accurate as possible. The characters about whom you are studying are worthy of the best work you can do in studying them, and you will be proud of your work only if it is worthy of them and of yourself. *' Ay, let us tell the g'enerous tale Of giants real and bold. Who grew so great they would not stoop To gather fame and gold; " But hurled the mountains from our path. And drained our quagmires dry. And held our foes at bay the while They bore our weaklings by. •• Ah, may you miss the dismal tracks That aimless feet have trod. And follow where our pioneers Make open ways to God." — Vautier Qolding. HEROES OF THE FAITH INTERMEDIATE GRADE FIRST QUARTER Lesson 1. ABRAHAM. A Pioneer of the Olden Time. Gen. 11:27 — 25:8. About 18th century b.c. "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed." Heb. 11:8. Abraham's Early Surroundings. If you were to take a voyage across the seas to western Asia and sail up from the Indian Ocean into the Persian Gulf, and then about a hundred and fifty miles up the Euphrates river, you would see on the right bank a great mound which at first you might think to be an ordinary hill. But on looking closely you would suspect that men had had something to do with the making of this hill. You would be right, for several thousand years ago there stood here a great city called Ur of the Chaldees. Prob- ably the Persian Gulf then reached as far north as this, so that the city was a sea-port. There were many temples. An inscription found among the ruins tells that one of these was built by Urukh, king of Ur, to the moon-god Sin, the chief deity whom the people of the city worshiped. Now if you follow the Euphrates about five hundred miles farther up you will find a small river, the BaHkh, flowing into it from the north. About two thirds of the way up this river there stood in ancient times another city called Haran. Extensive mounds on both sides of the river still testify to its former greatness. It was a busy and prosperous place, and the people, as in Ur, worshiped the moon-god Sin. Here, we are told, there once lived a man named Abraham, who, according to some accounts, while still a young man, came with his father from Ur. Abraham lived in Haran until after his father's death, and enjoyed no doubt the benefits of a rich and prosperous civilization that was the best of its time. Abraham's Migration to Canaan. Along the southeastern coast of the Mediterranean lies a region about the size of 1 Heroes of the Faith Vermont, which in Abraham's time was occupied by wander- ing tribes known as Canaanites. The land itself was called Canaan, but whether it took its name from the people, or from the fact that ," Canaanite " means " dweller of the low country," is not known. What the immediate motive was that turned Abraham's steps in that direction is not stated. Ekolish MitKS fiO 100 — ^%^'/\'^ COPYRIGHT, ^^(m., BtgtE STVPY f B^ C0> 40' Map for Tracing Abraham's Journeys, He seems to have thought that by going out into this new country he might be able to benefit the world at large. What- ever may have been his thoughts in the matter, he recognized the voice of God not only bidding him to go, but promising great blessings to himself, and telling him that he would be- come a blessing to the world. And so with his wife., his ser- vants, his nephew Lot, and their flocks and herds Abraham started for new regions. It must have been hard for him to turn his back on his home and friends and set out for this unknown land. " His neighbors no doubt thought him foolish. Men who are real leaders, who strike out for themselves, usually have to meet Abraham — Lesson One S ridicule. But Abraham's faith was great enough for him to make the effort. At almost every place where Abraham stopped he built an altar to God and worshiped Him. These altars remained for many years afterwards, and other people came to worship by them, until these places came to be known as sacred, and shrines were built at many of them. Abraham and Lot. Abraham owned a multitude of sheep and cattle, and his nephew, Lot, also had a great many. In course of time they had increased so that there was not pasturage for all the flocks and herds in any one place. One day Abraham took Lot to the top of a hill from which they could see the country for a long distance, and said to him, " Look over the land and pick out for yourself the place which you like best, and I will go to some other place." This first choice really belonged to Abraham, as the older man and the head of the family; but the younger man selfishly chose the best pasture lands, and Abraham let him have them. Not long after this, four chieftains from the desert made a raid into the region in which Lot had settled and carried him with many others into captivity. One who escaped brought the news to Abraham. When he had overtaken and defeated them, he set free not only Lot but all the other captives. With his usual generosity he refused a reward for this service. The Sacrifice of Isaac. There w^ere a great many strange and cruel customs practised in those early days in the name of religion. One of the worst of these was the sacrificing of children to the gods. Abraham had been accustomed to see these sacrifices, and it seemed to him that he ought to show honor to God by sacrificing his only son, Isaac, whom he loved with all his heart. This was a sad day for him, but he made his preparations for it w^ithout flinching. As he went to the place where he was to perform the sacrifice, no doubt the question arose in his mind whether a really just and holy God could ask so terrible a thing. This questioning no doubt helped to prepare him for the higher revelation of God's character that came to him when he had laid Isaac on the altar and lifted the knife to slay him. " Lift not thy hand upon the lad," came to him as if it were a voice from heaven. Gladly he dropped the knife and unbound his beloved son. Heroes of the Faith \ sUroogiipn, eopyrighted by tJniierwood & Underwood, N. T. Mosque at Hebron. This mosque is supposed to cover the cave of Mach- pelah. Many persone believe that the remains of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still here, and will eventually be brought to light. His devotion had been Rested to the utmost, and it had not failed. He now felt convinced that God was not pleased with a sacrifice of this kind. This conviction was deep- ened by the discovery of a ram caught in the bushes, just where he had been in- tending to sacrifice his son. He recognized God's hand in this also, and saw that God had been leading him by the path of obedience to a better knowledge of what was right. He joyfully availed himself of the sub- stitute sacrifice that God had sent, and the crime of human sacrifice was forever banished from his religious life, and, with rare exceptions, from the religious practices of his descendants. The Significance of Abraham's Life. By his courage and faith in God Abraham became the founder of a great race, the Hebrews. He started a movement which resulted in giving the world a purer religion and a nobler idea of God than men had ever had before. David, the great king, the long line of heroic old prophets, and, finally, Jesus Himself, our Lord and Saviour, came from this race. All this came about, because Abraham so long ago had the courage and faith in God to take the first pioneer step in becoming a bless- ing to the world, DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read Gen. 11:31 — 12:5, and write in the blank space following the names of Abraham's father, his wife, , his nephew 2. Read Gen. 12:6-10; 13:1-18, and find what is necessary to fill in the blanks in the following story. Abraham left his home in Haran, when God wished him to Abraham — Lesson One 5 do so, and journeyed to a place called , where was the of These oaks, or terebinths, were regarded as sacred trees, and people used to worship under them. The people living around him were called Then he moved to a on the east of , where he built an and worshiped Jehovah. Soon afterward, there was a in the land, and Abraham went down into From here he returned to Palestine and went back to After a time it became necessary for him to separate from because there was not room enough for their flocks in any one place. He gave his nephew the first choice, and chose the of the which was well wa- tered, and made his home near Abraham moved to by the oaks of , where he built another NOTE-BOOK WORK. 3. Draw in your note-book an enlarged outline map of southwestern Asia (see map on p. 2), and trace on it the journeys of Abraham, as given above. 4. Read the stories of Abraham's adventures given in Gen. chs. 13, 14, 18 and 22, and write a story of the one you like best. 5. Name any other person, either in the Bible or in modem life, that you think resembles Abraham. 6. Select, from such pictures as you can find, the one you prefer to illustrate this lesson with, and paste that in your note-book. 7. Write underneath this picture what the author of Hebrews said about Abraham in 11 :8-10. 8. In another paragraph in your book write Abraham's tmits at character that you would like best to have yourself, MEMORY WORK. Learn by heart Heb. 11 : 8- 10. 6 Heroes of the Faith Lesson 2. DAVID LIVINGSTONE. Missionary and Explorer. Born March 19, 1813; died May 4, 1873. "I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? . . . Then I said, Here am I; send me." Is. 6:8. Livingstone's Boyhood. Every boy or girl who has been in the woods knows something of the delights of exploring. Every new turn of the path has something of uncertainty in it. You never know what you may come upon around the turn. All this is fine play. But suppose you were in one of the track- less forests of Africa, where a good part of the way leads through swamps into which you sink to your knees, where you are tormented by poisonous insects; where malignant fever is in the air, where you are surrounded by lions, crocodiles, leop- ards and other fierce beasts and reptiles, and where you are in the midst of strange and repulsive people who often prove treacherous and savage enemies. This exploring is very dif- ferent from the kind you have done. David Livingstone faced all these and many more dangers, not for pay nor for profit, but for the love of his fellow men and the desire to help them. You will want to know what kind of boy grew into such a man. David's parents lived on a little barren island called Ulva, off the west coast of Scotland, close to the island of Mull. His father was Neil Livingstone, an honest, hard- working man, interested in all that went on in the world. His mother was Agnes Hunter, whose ancestors had been driven from their homes to caves in the hills, braving torture and death rather than do what they believed to be wrong. From Ulva they moved to Blantyre, a village about eight miles southeast of Glasgow. Here David was born, and here at ten years of age he went to work in a cotton mill, for the Living- stones were poor. The training to endure hardship thus began early. Every week-day, he had to be at his place from six o'clock in the morning until eight or nine at night, with little time for meals. Most boys would have lost pluck and health under the strain, but David was made of sturdy stuff and stood it bravely. His first earnings he took home to his mother. When he was able to lay by money for himself he bought good books, and read them while at work. But he never neglected his work for the reading. After the day's work was over he went to night school and after that studied until his mother fairly David Livingstone — Lesson Two 7 drove him to bed. Do not think that he was always poring over books. No boy could beat him at swimming or tramp- ing, and he roamed over the countryside about Blantyre until he came to know every bird and flower. Livingstone^s Decision to Become a Missionary. As the years went by David grew restless. He was fond of reading about men like Henry Martyn, the young missionary to India, and about Charles Gutzlaff, medical missionary to China — men who did great things — and he wished to be like them. From these books he also learned of the wonders of those lands and this awoke in him the spirit of travel and exploration. One evening as he sat watching the sunset lights die away on the hills, and the stars coming out in the heavens, and think- ing how beautiful God's world was, he thought of the trouble and sorrow created by men's selfishness and greed, and he remembered how once, in the stillness of the evening, Jesus had gone into an olive grove, and there wept in bitter grief over the troubles and sins of men. Then and there it sud- denly flashed upon him that he ought to do all in his power to help his fellow men. He walked home with eager haste, and that night told his parents that he was going to Glasgow to study medicine and then go out to the far East to help the sick and suffering who had no one to help them. It was a hard struggle for a poor boy to earn his way through the university, but he triumphed over all difficulties, and finally secured his doctor's diploma, and was ordained as a missionary. How Livingstone was Drawn to Unexplored Africa. Living- stone, had intended to go to China, but the opium war pre- vented him. It was a great disappointment. One day, how- ever, he met Robert Moffat, a noted missionary, and heard him say that from a single hill-top in Africa he had seen the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary had ever been. That fired David's blood, and he asked Dr. Moffat if he thought there might be a chance for him to do good work there. The reply was, " Yes, if you do not settle down where the missionaries already are, but push out into the unexplored regions." With his usual energy Livingstone decided at once to go to Africa, and before long was on his way. Livingstone's Early Explorations in Africa. At Cape Town Livingstone was offered a position that would have paid him d Heroes of the Faith well, but he remembered the villages where no missionary had been, and pressed on toward the north. At Kuruman, Dr. Moffat's station, he married Mary Moffat, a daughter of the great missionary. He traveled over trackless regions in an ox- wagon, or on a riding ox, and often on foot. The natives at first thought that he could not stand the hard journey be- cause he was not as big as they. That roused his grit, and he soon tired them. His way was beset by dangers. Once a rhinoceros made him fly for his life, while she smashed his wagon with one thrust of her ugly horn. At another time he was attacked by a lion and had his arm crushed by a savage bite. He would have been killed had it not been for the timely interference of a native. All sorts of perils and dis- couragements surrounded him, but what most saddened his heart was to see everywhere the cruelties of the slave trade; men, women and children taken captive and chained together, then driven in long gangs to be sold. Livingstone resolved to stop this evil if possible, and worked harder than ever to let people know what was going on in the interior of this land. It seemed that the first thing to be done for Africa was, not to settle down in one place and try to convert a few natives, but to open up the in- terior to trade and commerce, and to persuade Christian colonists to come there ana show the natives how to live better. He therefore decided to find some way from the interior to the west coast, for unless good roads were opened to healthful places, people would not come. So he began a life of travel and exploration that was to test all the heroism in OUTLINE MAP OF SOUTHERN AFRICA ' 2D0 .400 David Livingstone — Lesson Two 9 him. With an English hunter named Oswell and some natives, Livingstone and his family traveled northward until, after several failures, he came to Lake Ngami, which no white man had ever seen before. They could get no farther for two or three years. Finally he had to send his wife and children to England, to save them from the hardships that must be met in carrying out this work. Then he went on, lonely at heart, with his faith- ful black men. After difficulties of almost every imaginable kind, having faced death over and over again, he reached St. Paul de Loanda, in Portuguese country on the west coast of Africa. He was weakened by fever, reduced almost to a skele- ton, and bitterly disappointed at finding no news from home. A ship was there about to sail for England, and Livingstone was urged to go home for rest. He needed it sorely, but he had given his word to some native guides and helpers who had come a long distance with him that he would return over the same route with them to their home. Rather than be untrue to them he faced once more all the dangers and wearisomeness of that dreadful journey. It is no wonder that the black men loved and honored Livingstone, for they soon found that, though other men deceived and wronged them, they could trust him. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Where is the island of Ulva? the village of Blantyre? {Find them on a map of Scotland.) 2. The ancestors of David Livingstone's mother belonged to a religious body called Covenanters. Find out what you can about them from encyclopaedias or histories of Scotland. What kind of stories do you think his mother would tell him about them? 3. Do you think it was right for Livingstone to go back into Africa from St. Paul de Loanda, or should he have gone home when he was so ill .'' 4. Read at least one good book about Livingstone. One of the best is The Story of David Livingstone, by Vautier Golding. Another is David Livingstone, by Thomas Hughes, who wrote Tom Brown's Schooldays. NOTE-BiDOK WORK. 5. Sketch an enlarged outline map of South Africa (see map on p. 8), and trace on it Livingstone's journeys as far as indicated in 10 Heroes of the Faith this lesson. Start from Cape Town at the southern extremity of Africa, and run a line northeast to Kuruman; then to the head waters of the Limpopo river. At this point Livingstone's work as an explorer began. Next run the line northwest to Lake Ngami, and north to Sech^le on the Zambesi river. Thence the line follows the Zambesi to its head waters, and westward to St. Paul de Loanda. From Loanda it returns for the most part by the same way, following the Zambesi, on which Livingstone discovered the famous Victoria Falls. When near the eastern coast, the line leaves the river and runs east- ward to Quilimane. This journey and those described in the next lesson may be indicated by different colored pencils or inks. 6. Select a page in your note-book for the story of Livingstone, and write down what most interests you in his boyhood. 7. Write in your note-book the story of any later deed or adventure in Livingstone's life that particularly impresses you. MEMORY WORK. Commit to memory Ps. 15:1, 2. Lesson 3. DAVID LIVINGSTONE. A Pioneer in Central Africa. " I hold not my life of any account ... so that I may accomplish my course." Acts 20:24. Livingstone's Work as an Explorer. The story of Living- stone's travels in Africa falls naturally into three main divi- sions. The first covers his travels as a missionary, in the course of which he found a way from Cape Town to Loanda on the west coast and then went down the Zambesi river to the east coast (see previous lesson). The second covers his work in exploring the Valley of the Zambesi and the shores of Lake Nyassa; and the third covers his attempts to find the sources of the Congo and the Nile in the country north of the Zam- besi. On all these journeys he met dangers and difficulties that would have discouraged a less heroic man and sent him back home. Not only did he have to face savage beasts, and equally savage men in the unhealthy wilderness of Africa, but he had to meet unfair criticism and faultfinding at home. Some people criticised him because they thought he was not enough of a missionary, by which they meant that he did not preach enough. So he quietly withdrew from the Missionary Society and went as a Christian explorer, doing what he David Livingstone — Lesson Three 11 honestly thought God wanted him to do. In it all he was not only brave but wonderfully patient and gentle. Once only did he seem for a moment to lose heart, and that was when his dearly loved wife, who had rejoined him, died, and he had to bury her in the heart of Africa and then go on alone. All this time he was using the powers of observation that he had cultivated when a boy, and was learning a great deal about the country. He wrote two large books which taught the world more than had ever been known about Africa. Besides this he kept extensive notes and journals of immense scien- tific value. But in all this he had one thought always upper- most, namely, that by opening up this country and telling the people of Christian England what wa§ taking place there, he might persuade his countrymen to put a stop to the inde- scribable horrors of the slave trade, and bring to the neglected natives of Africa the benefits of Christian civilization. Livingstone's Work Honored. When Livingstone returned to England for the first time, after his missionary journeys, he found himself the most famous man of the land. Learned societies held special meetings to hear him speak, the royal family received him, he was fairly show- ered with the most distinguished honors that his country could give him, and yet through it all he remained unspoiled, simple, modest, where most men would have been made conceited and proud. He was with the Turkish ambassador once when the crowd cheered him. Livingstone said, " These cheers are for you." The ambassador replied, " No, I am only what my master made me; you are what you have made yourself." ^^"'^ Lxvingstone. But after all, the love and respect that most deeply touched Livingstone's heart, and for which he cared the most, was that which he received from the simple-minded blacks in Africa. They came to call him " Father." Once when some of the slave traders, too cowardly to attack Livingstone themselves, tried to get some of the natives to kill him, they replied, " No, he is the Good One; we will not kill him." By his kindly Christian spirit and unselfish deeds Livingstone won the hearts 12 Heroes of the Faith of these untaught black men, and turned many of them from blood-thirsty savages to loyal followers of Jesus Christ. Livingstone's Last Journey and his Death. The last of his journeys, in search of the Nile and Congo sources, were the most severe of all, seven long years of hardship and sickness. For two and three years at a time he saw no white face nor heard from home. Twice expeditions were sent out to find him, and one of these found him just in time to save his life. And all the while he was writing the most thrilling letters, describing the atrocities of the slave trade, and begging the English government to stop it. He told of long lines of men and women chained together and driven until they fell from exhaustion. He told of finding those who could no longer walk tied to trees and left to starve. When these tales of inhumanity and cruelty finally reached England, and were printed, they aroused not only England but all Europe to put down the slave trade and its attendant atrocities. Livingstone was now getting to be an old man, sixty years of age, and many urged him to come home and rest. But he had promised to find the sources of the Nile and open up that country, and on he went. His faithful bearers, who loved him devotedly, did all they could to take care of him, and carried him mile after mile through marsh and flood in the swinging chair. At last they came to the village of a chief named Chitambo, near the southern shore of Lake Bangweolo. As Livingstone was too ill to go further, they built a hut and laid him gently in it. Susi, one of his devoted attendants, cared for him all next day, and at night Majwara, another of his tried followers, stood guard outside the door. At mid- night Majwara called, " Come to Bwana (Master), Susi, I am afraid." They crept quietly into the hut, and saw their loved master, upon his knees beside his bed where he had been pray- ing, but his soul had gone home to his Master. So passed away one of those rare spirits whose self-devotion, patient endurance, boundless courage, and unflinching energy have enabled them to open new paths for the progress of the human race. Livingstone's wisdom in devoting himself to this pioneer work is shown by the fact that it has inspired thousands to carry on the enlightening, civiHzing, and evan- gelizing mission to which he gave his life. " It is a brave thing to die for one's fellow men; it is also brave, and often harder, to live for them. Livingstone did both." David Livingstone — Lesson Three 13 Livingstone's Resting-place in Westminster Abbey. Living- stone's faithful bearers determined that their master's body should go back to his own people. The heart they buried under the mvula tree. The body was embalmed as ♦veil as they were able. Then, carefully wrapped, they carried it to Bagamoyo near Zanzibar, a hard and perilous journey of more than 800 miles. With saddened hearts his friends brought his body back to England, where the highest mark of honor that can be given to any one at death in Eng- land was paid by burial in Westminster Abbey, where all the kings and most famous Englishmen are buried. From every hand came tributes of sorrow and respect, and one of the English papers (Punch) published this poem: " Droop, half-mast colors; bow, bareheaded crowds, As this plain coffin o'er the side is slung, To pass by woods of masts and ratlined shrouds. As erst by Afric's trunks, liana-hung. ** 'Tis the last mile of many thousands trod With failing strength, but never failing will. By the worn frame, now at its rest with God, That never rested from its fight with ill. *' Or if the ache of travel and of toil Would sometimes wring a short, sharp cry of pain From agony of fever, blain, and boil, 'Twas but to crush it down, and on again I ** He knew not that the trumpet he had blown Out of the darkness of that dismal land, Had reached and roused an army of its own To strike the chains from the slave's fettered hand. ** Now we believe he knows, sees all is well — How God had stayed his will and shaped his way To bring the light to those that darkling dwell With gains that life's devotion well repay. ** Open the Abbey doors, and bear him in To sleep with king and statesman, chief and sage, The missionary come of weaver-kin, But great by work that brooks no lower wage. ** He needs no epitaph to guard a name Which men shall prize while worthy work is known; He lived and died for good — be that his fame; Let marble crumble; this is Uvixur. stone.*' 14 Heroes of the Faith DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1 Read 1 Cor. 13:4-7, and fill out the following blanks. In these verses Paul has described the virtues that Love brings to men. Some of these virtues that Livingstone had are (i) shown by. {2) , shown by (List as many as you can think of, naming with each one some incident that appears to illustrate the virtue mentioned.) NOTE-BOOK WORK. 2. On the outline map of Africa in your note-book trace the general course of Livingstone's second and third journeys, as follows: (7) Draw a line from Quilimane to Tete, then to Victoria Falls and back to Tete, and thence northward along the western shore of Lake Nyassa to near its northern extremity; (2) from the lower end of Lake Nyassa to the lower end of Lake Tanganyika, thence past Lake Mweru to Lake Bangweolo, then back to Lake Tanganyika up its western coast and across to Ujiji, thence recrossing the lake continue the line to the Lualaba River, and back to Ujiji, where Livingstone was found by Stanley and with him explored the northern end of the lake; thence, finally, along the eastern shore of Tanganyika to the southern shore of Lake Bangweolo, where Livingstone died. 3. Write in your note-book some of the best things that Livingstone taught the world. 4. Write a short paragraph giving your judgment of his character. MEMORY WORK. Learn for use as a declamation the poetic tribute to Livingstone given in the lesson story. Moses — Lesson Four 15 Lesson 4. MOSES. The Liberator of the Hebrews. Ex. clis. 1-15, About 13th century n.c. " By faith Moses . . . [chose] rather to share ill treatment with .the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin." Heb 11- 24, 25. The Birth and Childhood of Moses. You have heard the story of the little basket boat hidden in the reeds by the river's bank, and the baby lying safe within, while his sister watched near by. I think that you know who this baby was, and that it was to save him from being thrown to the crocodiles of the Nile, as Pharaoh had ordered, that his mother made this little ark and put him in it. I am not so sure, however, that every one knows who his father and mother were, or the name of the sister who watched him so faithfully; yet this is worth knowing, for this baby became the great teacher of his people, " Moses the liberator," and those who help to bring up a great man deserve this much honor at least. At the end of this story you will find a place to Write their names, after you have learned them. Moses. was a Hebrew, one of the same race that Abraham wished to make a blessing to the world, and he had much to do with helping to make Abraham's wish come true. The days of his childhood were dark days for the Hebrews, or " children of Israel," as they are often called in the Bible stories. They were slaves, held in cruel bondage. The old monuments of Egypt still preserve pictures of Egyp- tian slaves doing heavy tasks under the lash of brutal masters. But in spite of this ill treatment the Hebrews increased until their masters began to fear that they might become so numer- ous as to be able some day to throw off the yoke of bondage. It was this fear which led to the cruel decree that every baby boy bom to the Hebrews should be thrown into the river. Colossal statue of Rameses II. The Pharaoh of the Oppression, in the doorway of a temple at Thebes. 16 Heroes of the Faith When the mother of Moses could no longer hide him from the Egyptians, she felt that she must trust him to the care of God alone. That is why she put her babe into the basket boat, and set it afloat among the river reeds. Safe and sound he lay there, for the great God who rules in heaven had work for this little lad to do, and every one is safe in God's care. So there he lay, gently rocking on the waves, until the princess from the royal palace came that way to bathe, and one of her maidens found the child. You have heard, no doubt, how the princess took pity on the little waif and decided to adopt him. Just here the quick wit of Moses' sister, who had been watching from a distance, served him a good turn. Running up to the princess, she said, " Shall I call one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?" Permission was given, and she called her mother. So Moses grew up under the protection of the royal family. He was given a good education, and the best part of it was the stories told to him by his mother of the glorious history and hopes of his own people. A Chivalrous Spirit. Moses grew to manhood, strong in body and mind, with a chivalrous spirit quick to sympathize with any who were in trouble. One day when he was living at court as the princess' adopted son, he saw an Egyptian mistreating one of the Hebrews. He ran to help the weaker party, and, in defending him, killed the Egyptian. This be- came known, and Moses had to leave the country to save his own life. He fled into the wilderness about Mount Sinai. In the land of Midian he came to a well, by which he sat down to rest. Some young women came with their flocks to water them, but some men attempted to drive them away and to water their own flocks first. Though a fugitive, Moses still had the chivalrous spirit that he had when a court favorite. He went to the aid of the young women, and not only drove away the men, but drew water and helped the girls water their flocks. This incident evidently impressed one of the young women very favorably, for later she became Moses' wife. The Life Work of Moses Begun. Moses lived in Midian for many years, helping tend the flocks of his father-in-law, and having a very peaceful time. But he could not forget the sufferings of his oppressed people back in Egypt. Nor could Moses — Lesson Four 17 Slaves Making Brick in Egypt. he escape a feeling that in some way he ought to help them. This feeUng was turned into a clear conviction by a revelation that God wanted him to go back to them and set them free from bondage. So he returned to Egypt and began a strug- gle that was fine to see. On one side was the king with all his power, on the other a captive people with one strong, brave man for their leader. Moses demanded that Pharaoh let the Hebrews have a little rest, that they might have time to worship God. Pharaoh replied by making their tasks harder than ever. Moses renewed his demands, and told the king plainly that God would punish the Egyptians if these just demands were not granted. The king would not listen. Then came a series of frightful plagues that drove the Egyp- tians almost to desperation. The water became foul so that no one could drink it, frogs overran the country, flies, a fatal cattle disease, terrific hail storms, blighted crops, locusts — all came upon them. The Egyptian king recognized in each one of these calamities a punishment from Jehovah, but as soon as the trouble was past he was as hard hearted and unjust as ever. At last there came a dreadful night in which a mysterious disease fell upon the people, and in every Egyptian home the firstborn son lay dead. Then the Hebrews were not only allowed to depart — they were almost driven away. They marched forth, a mighty host, with Moses at their head. But soon the greed of the king got the upper hand, and he sent his army to bring back the escaped slaves to work for him again. They were overtaken just as they reached the Red Sea or, more accurately, an arm of the same which then extended northward from what is now called the Gulf of Suez. Look at the map and you will see in what a trap the Israelites were. They were probably facing the string of Bitter Lakes on the isthmus, which in former times seem to have been con- nected one with another and with the gulf by shallow water. To the north was the great wall of Egypt defended by strong garrisons against attacks from the East. To the south were high mountains and desert which barred the way, and behind them were the Egyptians . 18 Heroes of the Faith It must have looked for a time as if all were lost. But, while the people wailed and cried and cast reproaches upon Moses for bringing them into this evil place, he never wavered. He had confidence that God who had brought them thus far wGuld not fail them now. Suddenly he shouted, in tones that made the most cowardly of them listen and obey, " Fear ye not ! Stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you to-day ! The Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more forever!" And then a strong wind, which God used to save His people, blew back the waters from the lake so as to expose a shallow place which permitted the people to pass over. The Egyptians came Zagazig ^ •« ^ Land of C>\ GOSHEN Ancient Wall snd Fortresses SUCCOTH 'Tel el Kibir'^''^-^{>^^^^gE^.:Sfr:rr^^~L^ . — ^-^^-eiyUgclokD" ROUTE OF THE ISRAELITES From Gosheu to the "Wilderness ENGLISH MILES 5 10 15 Modem names in Italics Bitter Lakes on after them, but their heavy chariots sank to the hubs in the soft mud; the horses could not make headway, and, before they could get over, the returning waters caught them and drowned them all. For a short time the Hebrews could hardly understand that they were really saved from their enemies. Then they seized their musical instruments and began to dance and to sing for joy. In Exodus ch. 15 we find their song of thank- fulness, beginning: ' I will sing unto Jehovah, for he hath triumphed gloriously: The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. Jehovah is my strength and song, And he is become my salvation : This is my God, and I ^yiH praise him; My father's God, and I will exalt him." Moses — Lesson Four 19 They never forgot this day, nor ceased to celebrate it in song and story, just as we celebrate our national holidays and sing songs about them. It gave them greater confidence in Moses as their leader and greater faith in God, who had saved them. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read Numbers 26:59, and write the names of Moses' father, , mother, , and sister, 2. Read some of the songs that were written by Hebrew poets in memory of such deliverances, such as Psalms 114, 115, 121, 124, 135 or 136. What is the main thought that runs through all these? 3. What things in the boyhood and young manhood of Moses helped to fit him for the great work he did in later life ? NOTE-BOOK WORK. 4. Write a heading for the story of Moses on a new page of yoq note-book. Select from the Brown, Perry, or Wilde pictures one wit which to illustrate the lesson, perhaps that of Mose's and Aaron befoi i Pharaoh, by Dore, or a picture of the Crossing of the Red Sea, at*J paste it in your book. Write underneath the picture the verse y:,u think best fitted for a motto, either from the story in Exodus or f ' om one of the Psalms referred to, under " Directions for Study." 5. Write a short story of any incident that you prefer fron ihe early life of Moses. 6. Write the story of any incident in modern life, your o\t ex- perience if possible, that you think illustrates God's care. MEMORY WORK. Learn one of the Psalms above mentioned. 20 Heroes of the Faith Lesson 5. MOSES. The Hebrew Lawgiver and Judge. Ex. 16:1—20:21; 24:1-8; Deut. ch. 34. "Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." Ex. 33:11. Moses* New Task. After the overthrow of the Egyptian arm}^ at the Red Sea, the Hebrews were a free people, so far as their former bondage was concerned, and they looked to Moses as the man to whom they owed more than to any one else. But the next thing they had to learn was how to use their freedom. They were delivered from the lash of the taskmaster, but now they must learn to govern themselves, for freedom without self-control is very nearly as bad as slavery. Indeed, such freedom will surely lead into bondage of some kind. So Moses found a new task before him ; that of teaching the people how to govern themselves, and this task was longer and more difficult than that of freeing them from Pharaoh's oppression. The Covenant at Sinai. Of one thing Moses was quite sure — this was that the people must learn to know God and obey Him, if they would become a great nation. Therefore he wished to have them enter into a solemn agree- ment, or "cove- nant," as it was called, with God ; and for this pur- pose he determined first of all to lead them to the sacred mountain where it was then thought that God had His special dwelling- place. This moun- tain was called Sinai, or Horeb, and it was prob- SCALE OF MILES peth-el' , 'III ^, j ^ ■ (Jerus^ 'V' Hebron* V Beer-sh,eJ)!| c._ ' \mm/< Map of the Sinaitic Peninsula. The heavy dotted line ehows the traditional route in case Mount Sinai was ia the eoiithem part of the peninBula. The other shows the probable route to Elath (Elim) and to Sinai-IIoreb if that peak was •ituated in the land of Midian. Moses — Lesson Five 21 Moses. By Michael Angelo. ably one of the peaks at the southern end of the range called Seir, in the land of Midian, south of the Dead Sea. It was not strange that these people in ancient times should think that God lived on the mountain top, as you will under- stand if you have ever seen a very high mountain reaching aw^ay up into the clouds, perhaps with snow covering its peak. And you can imagine their awe when they stood at the foot of Sinai and saw its top surrounded with thick clouds, out of which came crashing peals of thunder and vivid flashes of light- ning. To them this was the very voice of God, and they trembled greatly. It was under such circumstances that the covenant with God was made after the manner of the ancient Semitic peoples. The Ten Commandments. The law that Moses gave to the people centered mostly about what is called The Decalogue, or The Ten Commandments. The original form of these is somewhat different from that which we learn now, but the present form is the one that has the most meaning for us. These commandments really sum up our duties to God and to our fellow beings, and they should be thoroughly memorized. Here is a short form of them : I. THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. II. THOU SHALT NOT MAKE FOR THYSELF ANY GRAVEN IMAGE. III. THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD IN VAIN. IV. REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY TO KEEP IT HOLY. V. HONOR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER. VI. THOU SHALT NOT KILL. VII. THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. VIII. THOU SHALT NOT STEAL. IX. THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS. X. THOU SHALT NOT COVET. '/ 22 Heroes of the Faith Moses told the people that if they would hearken to God's voice and keep His commandments, He would surely bless them, and the people solemnly promised that they would do as God commanded. But it is always easier to promise than to keep one's promises, and the Hebrews had before them many long and weary years of trial and failure before they really understood what God wanted them to do. During many years Moses acted as judge of their disputes, taught them all he could, and kept his patience wonderfully through many trials. He never could have done it had he not felt sure that God was with him as his constant Friend and Helper. The Death of Moses. At last the Hebrews came to the borders of Canaan, the land of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, a land so rich and fertile that men called it ** a land flowing with milk and honey." From the high mountains on the east of the Jordan the people could look over to the fertile hills and valleys of their future home. But Moses was not permitted to enter it. He was a very old Mount Nebo. man, and died before the people crossed over to conquer the land. They left him there on Mount Nebo alone with his God. They said that God Himself buried Moses, but where, no one knows. It was a fitting close to a life that had been spent with God. The Burial of Moses. By Nebo's lonely mountain, On this side Jordan's wave, In a vale in the land of Moab, There lies a lonely grave; Moses — Lesson Five 23 And no man built that sepulcher, And no man saw it e'er; . For the angels of God upturned the sod, And laid the dead man there. That was the grandest funeral That ever passed on earth ; Yet no man heard the trampling, Or saw the train go forth. Noiselessly as the daylight Comes when the night is done, And the crimson streak on Ocean's cheek Grows into the great sun ; Noiselessly as the spring-time Her crown of verdure weaves, And all the trees on all the hills Unfold their thousand leaves; So without sound of music, Or voice of them that wept, Silently down from the mountain's crown The great procession swept. This was the bravest warrior That ever buckled sword; Thk the most gifted poet That ever breathed a word ; And never earth's philosopher Traced with his golden pen On the deathless page, truths half so sage As he wrote down for men. And had he not high honor? The hillside for his pall ! To lie in state while angels wait With stars for tapers tall, And the dark rock-pines like tossing plumes Over his bier to wave ; And God's own hand in that lonely land, To lay him in his grave ! O lonely tomb in Moab's land ! O dark Beth-peor's hill ! Speak to these curious hearts of ours, And teach them to be still. God hath His mysteries of grace, Ways that we cannot tell; He hides them deep, like the secret sleep Of him He loved so well." — Cecil Frances Alexander 24 Heroes of the Faith DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read the story of the giving of the covenant at Sinai, as told in Ex. 19:1—20:21 and 24:1-8. What was God's promise (19:6)? What was its condition (19:5)? What did the people promise (24 : 7) ? 2. Why is it important that a free people should know how to govern themselves? 3. What harm occurs if people fail to obey the rules of a game, or the laws of a land? 4. Who make the laws in our own land? NOTE-BOOK WORK. 5. Select a picture for this lesson. Michael Angelo*s statue of Moses is a good one, also Tissot's picture of Moses and the Ten Com- mandments. Paste the picture in your book and on the opposite page write the Ten Commandments. You might draw two tablets with rounded tops and print the commandments neatly on them, using the short form given in this lesson. 6. Write beneath the Commandments the form of the covenant as found in Ex. 19:5, 6 (ending with " a holy nation ") and the re- sponse of the people (24:7 last half). 7. Write in your book what you think was the secret of Moses* success as a leader. Was it learning, patience, sympathy, or what? MEMORY WORK. Learn as a declamation The Burial of Moses (preferably the entire poem, given in Longfellow's compilation Poems of Places, Asia), or Israel's declaration of faith (Deut. 6:4-9), which is a part of one of the orations of Moses. Lesson 6. HARRIET BEECHER STOWE. Who Aroused a Nation's Conscience. Born June 14, 1811 ; diedjuly 1, 1896. " That also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." Mt. 26 : 13. Thirteen Children and Little Money. Harriet Beecher Stowe was number seven in a family of thirteen children, a family from which more literary men and women have come than from any other in the history of America. Harriet was a sister of the celebrated Henry Ward Beecher, and her father Harriet Beecher Stowe — Lesson Six 25 was the Rev. Lyman Beecher. It was a home of poverty that she was bom into, with ** no carpets on the floor and plenty of economy in the kitchen." The first carpet they ever had was made by Harriet's mother. She laid cotton cloth upon the floor, and painted it with oils. She must have done it well, for when one of the deacons of the church called soon after, he stopped short upon the threshold. ** Step in, step in," said Mr. Beecher. " Why, I can't," responded the deacon, " without stepping on it. Do you think you can have all that and heaven too? " But this poverty did not hurt Harriet or any of the family. It seems rather to have developed habits of industry and self-reliance that made them the strong, effective people they afterward became. Work and Play. Harriet soon learned the mysteries of housekeeping, and at the same time had plenty of time to enjoy the fields and forests and all out-of-doors. She was ex- ceptionally bright, quick to take in everything, and with her own share of mischief. One day, when their mother was out, the children found a package of " onions," as Harriet called them. The rest seem to have had their doubts about the " onions," but Harriet persuaded them that they were good, and her mother returned just in time to discover that the choice tulip bulbs which her brother had sent from New York had all been eaten up. Harriet loved books and school. The conversation in her father's family was of such a nature as to prove not only interesting but profitable. Even the children learned to talk and think about things really worth while, and this all came back in rich measure in her later life. In those days there were not many books, and very, very few that were written for children. When Harriet was six or seven years old she went exploring in the garret and found a barrel full of old sermons and pamphlets. She hauled them over and found way down at the bottom a copy of The A rahian Nights. She knew nothing about it but that it was a book, and that was enough. She sat down, and was soon lost to all the world in her delight over this new treasure. Her Religious Awakening. When Harriet was fourteen years of age she heard her father preach on Jesus as a Friend, Dr. Beecher spoke that day very simply and earnestly, and the sermon came as a great blessing to his little girl. She 26 Heroes of the Faith such a girl would make realized how much she needed the kind of friend that her father was speaking of, a friend who would be always sym- pathetic and compassionate, and she decided that she would have Him for her own Friend. She went home and said to her father, " Father, I have given myself to Jesus." This was the beginning of new happiness in her own life, for the resolution made that day found constant expression in a brave, loyal life of service and devotion to duty. The Wife and Mother. It was to have been expected that a good woman and a good wife. Harriet Beecher Stowe was both. It must have been hard for her, with all the splendid talents she had, to attend faithfully to the petty drudgery of household tasks, but she did it with cheer- fulness. Her son tells of some amusing attempts to combine literary work with housekeeping. She was trying to direct Mina, the colored girl, how to cook, and at the same time endeavoring to dictate to a friend a story that she was composing. The result was something like this: "Her lover wept with her, nor dared he again touch the point so sacredly guarded — Mina, roll that crust a little thinner — He spoke in soothing tones — Mina, poke down those coals in the oven. — ' What is this life to one who has suffered as I have?' — ' Shall I put in the brown or the white bread first?' asked Mina." Slavery and Uncle Tom's Cabin. This Mina was a colored girl whom Mr. and Mrs. Stowe had saved from being carried back into slavery. At this time the country was divided into slave and free states. In the former, slavery was allowed, but not in the latter. But a law had been passed, called the Fugitive Slave Law, which permitted any owner to pursue a slave who had escaped into the free states, and take him back, and which forced the people of the free states not only to allow him to do so but even to assist him. This led to many cruel and heartrending scenes, such as were connected Paed by permission ofthe Houghton, Mifflin Co. Harriet Beecher Stowe. Harriet Beecher Stowe — Lesson Six 27 with slavery. Families were separated, children being taken from their parents, and wives from their husbands, and the captives often sent back to unspeakably cruel bondage. All this aroused in Mrs. Stowe a passionate hatred of slavery. With many other people she felt that the Fugitive Slave Law was an infamous measure and opposed to the higher law of God and the commands of brotherly love and kindness. Nevertheless, few people dared publicly to denounce the law. The few abolitionists in New England who lifted their voices against slavery were despised as fanatics. The system which had entrenched itself in the constitution of the United States threatened to extend itself over the northern as well as the southern states. An agitation against it seemed to imperil the national union. The history of those days is full of ex- citing incidents connected with the attempts of slaves to es- cape from their bondage, and the efforts of the more humane of the white people in the free states to help them, even at the risk of being themselves punished. Mrs. Stowe felt all this very keenly. One day she received a letter from her sister-in-law, describing some of the sad things that were happenmg, and then added: " If I could use the pen as you can, I would write something that would make this whole nation feel what an accursed thing slavery is." The idea inspired her, and she exclaimed, " I will write something. I will, if I Hve ! " The next Sunday while in church the plan of the story of Uncle Tom's Cabin came into her mind. She began to write, and published the story first as a serial in The Era, of Washington. Notwithstanding the unpopularity of the subject, there was great demand for it, and in 1852 it was published in book form. Over three hundred thousand copies were sold in one year. It has been translated into nineteen different languages, and it is esti- mated that 3,000,000 copies have been sold. Uncle Tom's Cabin did more to strike a death-blow at slavery than all the speeches and tracts and arguments that were written and delivered. It is a thrilHng and pathetic story, and made Mrs. Stowe famous as an author, but she did not care half so much about that as for the way in which the book aroused the conscience of the nation. The secret of its power was that it made the characters it told about seem intensely real and human to all who read it. There were many people who had almost doubted whether negroes. 28 Heroes of the Faith were really human beings, and others who denied flatly that they had souls. But Uncle Tom's Cabin made the- characters of Uncle Tom, and Eliza, and Topsy, and the rest so real, and at the same time showed so clearly how dreadful slavery was, even when the slaves were kindly treated, that thou- sands whom arguments had failed to move, were aroused to indignation and pity. There were many, of course, who were not convinced, but who none the less recognized the tremendous power which this book would exert. Mrs. Stowe received letters from many in whom the story aroused savage enmity. Some of these letters contained abuse and even threats, and the in- mates of her home slept with firearms ready, and a large bell with which to call the young men of the adjoining Lane Seminary in case a mob should attack the house. But Mrs. Stowe also lived to see the day when, though at the cost of a long and terrible war, slavery was at last banished from our land. On her seventieth birthday, a garden party was given in her honor at Newtonville, Massachusetts. Two hundred of the best known literary men and women of the land were there, all of whom honored her as the one who had done most to bring justice and freedom to the slave. And all over the South there were many who read with new understanding and great joy the words that Jesus quoted from Isaiah: " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor : He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised." DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. In what kind of home did Mrs. Stowe pass her girlhood? 2. What were the results of her early training? 3. What great moral and political question was agitating the country during her lifetime ? 4. What was the Fugitive Slave Law? the Underground Railway? (Look them up in a United States history or an encyclopaedia.) 5. Do you think it was right for people to assist slaves to escape from bondage, when this was against the law? Samuel Chapman Armstrong — Lesson Seven 29 6. What gave Uncle Tom's Cabin such great influence in helping to bring about the aboHtion of slavery? (See story- above. ) 7. What does this suggest as to the best way of overcom- ing unworthy prejudice against people, or classes of people? 8. What did Jesus teach about the relations of masters and servants? (Mt. 23:10-12.) * NOTE-BOOK WORK. 9. Write HARRIET BEECHER STOWE, 1811-1896, as a head- ing for a new page in your book. Paste on this page a portrait of Mrs. Stowe (Brown Pictures No. 31, Perry Pictures No. 40). Then write a short story about her and what she accomplished, 10. Find out what you can about any negroes who have been use- ful in the world, or have become famous. Make a list of them, with the thing for which each one is best known. MEMORY WORK. Learn Eph. 4:32. Lesson 7. SAMUEL CHAPMAN ARMSTRONG. A Pioneer in the Education of the Freedmen. Born Jan. 30, 1839; died May 11, 1893. " In diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." Rom. 12:11. Life in a Boy*s Paradise. If you had been living in Hono- lulu about the year 1850, and had gone down to the beach, you might have seen a lot of happy little fellows, barefooted, with trousers rolled up and hair flying in the wind, rushing in and out of the water, sailing boats and having a fine time generally. It would probably not have taken you long to single out one of the boys, a slim, light-haired lad, easily noticed for his fun and liveliness, a leader of all the rest. And if you had asked his name, some one would have replied, "Why, that's Sam Armstrong; you ought to know him." And you would have enjoyed knowing him, for he would have led you a merry chase through every kind of sport, swimming, boating, horseback riding, and all other things in which boys delight. Samuel Chapman Armstrong was born on one of the neigh- 30 Heroes of the Faith boring islands, called Maui, where the extinct volcano of Haleakala pokes its giant crater into the sky ten thousand feet above the level of the sea. His father and mother were missionaries in the days when the missionaries were also statesmen, helping to build up the government as well as teaching the people about Jesus Christ and His religion. _ And these missionary boys were just as lively and mischievous as other boys, just as fond of going barefooted, which they could do all the year round in that climate, and just as un- willing to be dressed up for Sundays. Samuel Armstrong says of those days : " Molasses and water .was bliss to us, and ginger cake was too good to be true. We went barefoot, we were hungry and felt the ferule about our hands and shoulders, and had our lunches stolen by the other hungry boys, and had prayer-meeting out among the rocks, and learned seven honest verses by heart for Sunday school, besides the catechism at home. The small boy of to-day tries to be a gentleman, which we never dreamed of : our ambition was to de- light in native rollicking freedom, in sea, in salt ponds and wild mountains." He tells of many queer scenes in that semi-pagan country, how the natives would bring their dogs to church and sit unmoved while the httle curs fought, and how these natives dehghted in squeaky shoes, the louder the better. A man would often come walking noisily into church, sit down and pass his shoes out through the window for his wife to put on before entering, thus adding to the family glory by the added noise. And with the fun was plenty of hard, honest work at home and at school. Samuel's early schoohng was received at the Royal School at Punahou, founded for the training of young chiefs. Some manual work was required of every pupil, and Samuel did his stint of hoeing in the field, even interfering with nature by digging up the melon seeds to see if they had started. But everywhere he did his work well. When he went to Oahu College, he was asked to take a class in geometry whose teacher had given it up for a time. It was a severe test for a young undergraduate, but the sanie spirit that made him the undisputed leader on the athletic field carried him through this task. As a teacher he seldom looked at his book during the class exercise, and this inspired the class to do likewise, with the consequence that when the public examination came, at the end of the year, these boys Samuel Chapman Armstrong — Lesson Seven 31 surprised the examiners and every one else in the school with their feats of memory. Samuel, like all the sons of missionaries, had to earn his own pocket money, which he accomplished in a variety of ways, acting as tax-assessor, book-keeping, supervising schools, and editing a paper. College Days. In 1860, his father, Richard Armstrong, died, and Samuel sailed soon after for America to enter Wil- liams College. The impression he made upon his fellow students in that quiet New England college town must have been startUng. One of his classmates said that he could best be described in the eastern Tennessee dialect as " plumb survigrous." " He could manage a boat in a storm, teach school, edit a newspaper, assist in carrying on a government, take up a mechanical industry at will, understand the natives, sympathize with the missionaries, talk with profound the- orists, recite well in Greek or mathematics, conduct an ad- vanced class in geometry, and make no end of fun for little children." He was full to the brim with good cheer, true manliness, and the spirit of useful service. He had thoughts of studying for the ministry, but could not abide the unduly solemn way in which some people looked upon that calling. He had the spirit of the pioneer that drives men to strike out and do things, and he used to say that he would become either a missionary or a pirate. Fighting for the Right. During the last of Armstrong's college days there was much excitement over the war. Many of the college men were enlisting, and soon after graduation Armstrong was in Troy, New York, enlisting a company. He soon made a reputation for two things: strict discipline and perfect fairness. These two traits he always showed, and they won for him the respect and affection of his men. When the regiment went into camp after a hard march, in- stead of at once seeking the best spot for himself, as many officers did, Armstrong's first thought and care was for his men, to see that they were comfortable and well cared for. When his regiment went into battle, Armstrong was con- spicuous for bravery and coolness. He would take care to see that his men were as well protected as possible, while he often exposed himself to the fire of the enemy without flinch- ing. The result of all this was that his men would follow 32 Heroes of the Faith \iim anywhere, and do anything for him. In the disastrous retreat from Harper's Ferry, his company was one of the few who came away in any order at all. One great secret of Armstrong's bravery in battle was the fact that he was conscious all the while that he was ready to die. He had a clear conscience, he had performed every duty he had undertaken to the best of his ability, and death had no terrors for him. Leading the Colored Troops. After the emancipation of the slaves, Armstrong felt more interest in the cause for which he was fighting than ever before. He felt that slavery was now clearly defined as the underlying cause of the war, and he was willing to do and dare anything for the cause of freedom. Accordingly, when colored troops began to be enlisted, he sought a position as colonel in command of a regiment of them. Only the best officers were chosen for this work. Many people thought that the negroes, who had always been slaves, with no responsibility, would not fight, and that they could not be disciplined or controlled. Be- sides, the officers of colored regiments would be in particular danger, for the Confederate troops had threatene'd to treat them with special severity if they were captured. But the negro soldiers proved to be as loyal, brave and efficient as any, and Armstrong's men won particular distinction. The Freedmen's Bureau. After the war was over, Arm- strong found himself a general at the age of twenty-five. He thought of going into the government service, but was so disgusted with the crowd of office seekers who seemed to care for nothing but getting easy work with big pay, that he gave up the idea. He found such a position as he wanted, how- ever, in the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands. It was the task of this bureau to build up the busi- ness of the South after the war. Many plantations had been abandoned, there were people who had lost their slaves and did not know how to work without them, and there were slaves who did not know what to do with their new-found liberty. And so the country was divided up into districts and the agents of the Freedmen's Bureau had to be business managers, judges, police officers, and friends to every one. All kinds of troubles came up for settlement, and General Armstrong had to straighten them out with the assistance of Samuel Chapman Armstrong — Lesson Seven 33 assciiates appointed by the whites and the blacks. One can easily imagine the tact, wisdom and patience that it re- quired to do such a work successfully. Hampton and Industrial Education. In his dealings with the negroes General Armstrong saw clearly that what they most needed was to be taught to help themselves. They must be taught to work, not like cattle driven under the whip, but intelligently and efficiently. He conceived the idea of a school where the young colored people might be trained to become teachers and good workers and so go out to help elevate their own race. He suggested the idea to the American Missionary Association, and they promptly asked him to be the head of the school. With wonderful faith and clear insight into just what needed to be done, he threw himself into this work, and built up at Hampton, Virginia, the splendid institute that now stands there, where hundreds of young colored people and Indians have been educated and trained for good work in the world. He raised money for it at the North, he taught and supervised and looked after the social life of the students; he seemed to be everywhere, and to do admirably everything to which he put his hand. General Armstrong's Ideals for Life. General Armstrong was a thorough Christian, and Christianity meant to him doing one's duty honestly and w^ell. He gloried in doing the hard thing, and he always tried to get this same spirit into his students. He was very fond of telling a story about a wood- chuck that w^as chased by a dog. The only way to get away w^as to climb a tree, but woodchucks can't climb trees. This woodchuck had to, and he did. General Armstrong used to tell his young people that they should be thankful for the necessity that made them do the hard tasks, for through hard work they would de- Samuel Chapman Armstrong. velop character. In his school work he showed the same qualities that had marked him in the army. He was severe on those who were lazy or careless, but he was always fair. And his severity was always lip^htened by a gleam of fun that \ 34 Heroes of the Faith never left him even to the last of his life. In a talk to his students he once said, ** Spend your Hfe in doing what you can well. Do what you can do well, and people will respect it and respect you. This is what the world wants of every one." When General Armstrong died, the commanding officer of Fortress Monroe asked the privilege of giving him full military honors at his funeral, an unusual honor for one not in the active service. He was buried among his students who had died at the school, and his grave was marked with a block of Williamstown granite at one end, and of Hawaiian volcanic rock at the other. But his finest monuments are the splendid school where the young people of less favored races are being trained to do their work in the world, and the lives of young men and women on whom the influence of General Armstrong has left its enduring mark. As they laid him to rest in the grave his students sang Julia Ward Howe's Battle Hymn of the Republic: Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword, His truth is marching on. I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps; They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps; I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps, His day is marching on. I have read a fiery gospel, writ in burnished rows of steel; *' As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal"; Let the hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel, Since God is marching on. He hath sounded forth the trumpet which shall never call retreat; He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat; Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him 1 be jubilant, my feet ! Our God is marching on. In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me; As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, While God is marching on. Among General Armstrong's papers was found this word that he had written some time before his death: ** It pays Samuel Chapman Armstrong — Lesson Seven 35 to follow one's best light — to put God and country first, our- selves afterwards." DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Where was Samuel Armstrongs born, and when? How long did he live ? 2. What was his father's occupation? 3. What do you find in the things he did as a boy that helped to make him the kind of man he afterward became ? 4. What part did he take in the struggle for freedom ? 5. What did he do to make freedom of real value to the colored men? 6. Where is Hampton? Find it on the map. NOTE-BOOK WORK. 7. Start a new page with General Armstrong's full name and the dates of his birth and death at the top. 8. Write a short outline of his life, telling the important things he did after leaving his home in Honolulu. 9. Find out all you can about Hampton Institute and the work that is done there, and write a short story about it. You can get the information needed at the public library, in the encyclopaedia, or by writing to Hampton Institute, Hampton, Va., and asking them to send you some information. There are two very interest- ing articles about Hampton in The Outlook for July, 1907, and The Review of Reviews for September, 1906. HOME WORK. 10. Find out what you can do to help the work at Hampton and similar schools, and try to get others to help, too. 11. Commit to memory The Battle Hytnn of the Republic, . 36 Heroes of the Faith Lesson 8. JOHN HOWARD. The Champion of Prison* Reform. Born Sept. 2, 1726; died Jan. 20, 1790. " Who went about doing good." Acts 10:38. An Imprisonment that Bore Good Fruit. A little more than one hundred and fifty years ago, an Enghsh vessel saiHng for Portugal was captured by a French privateer, England and France being then at war with each other. The pas- sengers were taken prisoners and carried to Brest and other places. They were treated very severely, and suffered greatly both from neglect and from cruelties practised upon them. Among their number was a young Englishman named John Howard, who was attempting to go to Lisbon to see if he could be of any service to the sufferers from the great earth- quake which had destroyed that city. The experiences which he had upon this trip made a deep impression upon his mind, and undoubtedly helped to prepare him for his life work, for years afterward he wrote of them at the very beginning of his great book upon The State of Prisons, sl book which was destined to bring about many reforms in the treatment of prisoners. A Boy who was not Spoiled by Money. John Howard's father was a well-to-do merchant, an upholsterer, who died when John was sixteen years of age, leaving the boy practically his own master and the possessor of considerable wealth. For most boys, this is about the worst thing that can possibly happen, to have plenty of money and little restraint. But John had learned to control himself, so that he did not need watching, and he had also learned to estimate rightly the value of money as a means of doing good, so that he was not spoiled by his freedom or his wealth. His early education had not been very good, but he more than made up for its deficiencies at most points by his own habits of careful reading and observation, and by travel. A Humane Landlord. In 1758 Mr. Howard settled at Cardington, a little village near Bedford, where he had a considerable estate with many tenants. Both he and his wife looked upon this as an opportunity for doing good. Instead of trying to see how much money they could squeeze out of their tenants by charging high rents for miserable hovels, they were constantly trying to see what they could John Howard — Lesson Eight 37 do to make their condition better. They had what they called their " charity purse," into which went all the money they could spare for benevolent objects. On one occasion, when Mr. Howard was figuring up his accounts for the year, he found a surplus, and proposed that they should spend it on a trip to London. But Mrs. Howard suggested that this sum would be just enough to build a nice little home for one of their needy tenants, and to this purpose it went. As a result of their work, " Cardington, which seemed at one time to contain the abodes of poverty and wretchedness, became one of the neatest villages in the kingdom." . A Sheriff who Tried to Help. In 1773, a short time before our country became independent, Mr. Howard was appointed High Sheriff of the county of Bed- ford. He accepted this office with the same deep sense of responsi- bility that he felt toward all his work. He was brought into very close contact with the prisons and prisoners, and saw so much of misery and suffering that seemed to him unnecessary that it moved him to pity and efforts for improve- ment. In those days it was the common custom for jailers to get their pay from fees paid by the • >^^^ a\\\\\ Xv^^s^^ prisoners. . It was also lawful for a man to be imprisoned for debt. John Howard. Dr. Howard found men who had been acquitted of the charge on which they were arrested, or who had been ordered dis- charged by the courts, still held prisoners until they should pay the jailer's fees. He at once made application for a regular salary to be paid to the jailers, and the abolishment of this fee system. He was asked to name any other place w^here this was done, and immediately started out to visit other parts of Great Britain to find the precedent, or example, that he desired. The Sorrows of the Prison House. Howard not only failed to find such precedent, but he found so many terrible things in the prevailing treatment of prisoners at that time that his heart was stirred to indignant pity, and he determined to devote his life, or so much of it as might be needful, to the 38 Heroes of the Faith work of reforming prison conditions. He found that prisoners were treated with the rankest injustice in being held captive long after they should have been discharged; he found con- ditions that undermined health and sent the prisoner out an invalid for life, if indeed he escaped alive at all ; he found con- ditions that, instead of reforming criminals, made them worse than they had been. He traveled extensively not only in his own country, but all through Europe as well, paying his own expenses, and often undergoing great personal danger and hardship. That such cruelty and injustice seem almost incredible to-day is a testimony to the fact that the world is growing better. In England he found men, and women too, confined to underground dungeons, and debtors chained by the leg to the prison wall, selling articles to passers-by in order to pay off their debt and their fees ; he found one fright- ful cell, seventeen feet long, eight feet wide, and five and a half feet high, entirely dark, and with no air except what could come in through an opening in the door five by seven inches. The room was intolerably filthy and unwholesome, and yet three persons had been shut up there for two months. They could not stand upright, and had to take turns crouching at the door to get a few breaths of air through the tiny open- ing, in order that they might not suffocate entirely. In many places the unhealthful conditions gave rise to a frightful disease called jail fever, of which hundreds of poor wretches died. Howard himself ran great risk of catching this fever as he went ^n his tours of investigation, but he never turned aside on that account, for he knew that the only hope of reform lay in telling people the exact conditions that existed. In most countries on the continent of Europe he found some things better, but he also found many terrible practices, such as torturing prisoners to make them confess, loading them down with heavy chains, and inflicting cruel punish- ments Hke that of the knout in Russia. With iiifinite patience and persistence he kept at his self-appointed task, until he had gathered a mass of evidence of the inhumanity of prison customs in the civilized world that fairly staggered people when he published it in his books. There were some punishments which had a touch of humor m them, as, for instance, the punishment meted out in Vienna to bakers who sold short weight. These were tied in their own baskets and thoroughly ducked at the end of a long pole John Howard — Lesson Eight 39 in the waters of the Danube. In Holland he found places where convicts were put at useful employment, and this rejoiced him greatly. Reforms Effected. As a result of Howard's labors and his descriptions of what he had found, a number of reforms were made, and the conditions of the English prisons very much improved. Many of those on the Continent were also im- proved because of the frank words which Howard spoke to officials and even to kings as he met them on his travels. In England, Howard was called before Parliament and publicly thanked for his services. Another Labor of Love. During his travels, Mr. Howard had come into contact with hospitals as well as prisons, and found conditions there not very much better. Nothing was known at that time of the modem methods of treating disease, or of scientific surgery with its antiseptics. But conditions were not even as good as the knowledge of the time might have made them, and Howard saw another opportunity to be of service to mankind. And so off he went on another tour of the Continent, trying to find out just what conditions were and how^ they might be improved. He was especially in- terested in the lazarettos, or hospitals for contagious and infectious diseases. In this he ran fearful risks of being stricken with the plague, but he tried to take all possible precautions, and went ahead. Once more, by making the evils known he led to reforms which doubtless saved thou- sands of lives. Secrets of Success. There are certain things which account for the success of Howard's work. First, his great earnestness and devotion. He felt that it was his mission in life to help his fellow men, and he never shrank from any opportunity to do this. Secondly, his personal influence. He was so earnest and so evidently actuated by the noblest motives that men everywhere respected and trusted him. He got information that many could not have obtained. In one place he found that the convicts in a prison, two hundred in number, had mutinied and killed two keepers, and the remaining keepers were afraid to go near the jail. Howard went in alone and quieted the rioters. How, no one ever knew, for he was too modest to talk about it. Thirdly, his accuracy in observation and description of details. He was so careful 40 Heroes of the Faith when he went to a prison, to see things for himself, measuring the size of windows and rooms, counting the number of steps down into a cell, etc., that when he published his books, his account convinced his readers. A Martyr to the Service of his Fellow Men. Howard's journeys took him, for the second time, to Russia in 1789 and 1790, to continue his unwearying efforts to learn what- ever he might turn to the advantage of the unfortunate and suffering. He had some skill in medicine, and in the little village of Cherson, about one hundred miles east of Odessa on the Black Sea, he was asked to attend a young lady who had been stricken with fever. He was not strong, and the exposure was too much for him. He was taken down with the disease himself, and died Jan. 20, 1790. A monument was erected to his memory in St. Paul's cathedral, but a still better memorial is found in the associations organized for the relief of prisoners, that are named after him. Few men have more unselfishly devoted their money and their lives to the service of their fellow men than John Howard. The thought of his life may remind us of the poem by Leigh Hunt about the good sheik, Abou Ben Adhem. " Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase !) Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace. And saw within the moonlight in his room, Making it rich and hke a hly in bloom, An angel writing in a book of gold. Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold, And to the presence in the room he said, * What writest thou?' The vision raised its head, And with a look made all of sweet accord, Answered, ' The names of those who love the Lord.' ' And is mine one?' said Abou. ' Nay, not so,' Replied the angel. Abou spake more low, But cheerly still; and said, ' I pray thee, then, Write me as one that loves his fellow men.' The angel wrote and vanished. The next night It came again with a great wakening light And showed the names whom love of God had blessed, And lo ! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest." DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read the story, and then answer the following questions. 2. What experience first helped to give Howard his sym- pathy with prisoners? John Howard — Lesson Eight 41 3. What principle gmded him in the use that he made of his time and money? 4. How did he think a landlord should treat his tenants, espeoially if they were poor? 5. What opportunities came to him when he was elected sheriff? 6. How did he think people ought to feel toward prisoners, and how treat them ? 7. What traits of character or habits contributed most toward the success of his work? 8. In what respect did John Howard exemplify the spirit and mission of Christ? (Lu. 4: 16-21 ; comp. Is. 61 : 1.) 9. What is being done, in the spirit of John Howard to-day, to make the conditions of prison life better and to help pris- oners become better men after they are discharged? Find the answer to this question by looking up the work of some of the prison associations, such as the Central Howard Association, in Chicago ; the New York Prison Association, or the Prison Department of the Volunteers of America, in New York City ; the Massachusetts Prison Association, in Boston, the Canadian Prison Association, in Toronto. There are about thirty such associations in America, and if you write to any one of them for information, or one of their reports, you will find out what they are doing and what people can do to help. NOTE-BOOK WORK. 10. Write a short story of the hfe of John Howard, telling the most interesting and important things that he did. 11. Write down some of the things that are being done for prisoners to-day, both to make their imprisonment more humane and to help them to a better life. 12. Look up the following passages and select the one you think most appropriate for a motto with which to close your story of Howard. Is. 42:1,7; Mt. 25:35, 36,40; Ps. 79:11; Prov. 22:29; 1 Jo. 3:23. MEMORY WORK. Commit to memory the poem, Abou Ben Adhem. 42 Heroes of the Faith Lesson 9. FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. A Pioneer in the Red Cross Movement. Born May 12, 1820; died August 13, 1910. " Blessed are the merciful." Mt. 5:7. Saving a Dog. A little girl was riding one day, with a gentleman, over the downs of Hampshire, in the south of England, when they noticed a shepherd, vainly trying to collect his sheep which had become badly scattered. " Where is your dog, Roger? " asked the gentleman, as he watched the old man's efforts. " The boys have been throwing stones at him," replied Roger. " They have broken his leg, poor beast, and he'll never be able to do anything more. I shall have to put him out of his misery." ** Oh, is Cap's leg broken? " cried the little girl. " Cannot we do something for him? Where is he? " and she put her pony to the gallop toward the old shed where the faithful shepherd dog lay suffering. The leg proved not to be broken, but only badly bruised, and the application of hot bandages made such improvement that old Roger was both amazed and rejoiced when he came home in the evening, and Cap was soon trotting about at his work of tending the sheep. The Child Nurse. This story has been told many times, for the little girl whose heart was moved with pity at the suffering of the shepherd dog became one of the most famous women in England, and indeed in the whole world, and that which made her famous was her tender sympathy for all who were in distress, and the cool head and splendid mind which told her what most needed to be done. Even as a little child in her play she showed the traits that were to be so useful in later life. Her dolls were always getting sick and having to be nursed back to health. She was surgeon for all her sisters' dolls when arms or legs or even more important members became broken. As soon as she was old enough to go about it was her greatest delight to visit the homes of the poor and the sick of the village, and carry them the little delicacies, or clothing or other gifts which her mother, who was quite as tender-hearted as she, was accustomed to send. Both she and her sister had many pets, but it was noticeable that Florence paid "most attention to the old and infirm, that, Florence Nightingale — Lesson Nine 43 because of their weakness, were little noticed by the farm hands. Seldom did she miss a morning without a visit to Peggy, the old gray pony, with an apple or lump of sugar in her pocket for Peggy to nose out. She and the birds and squirrels were boon companions, and every mother bird seemed to know that the secret of her nest and her little ones was safe with Miss Florence. A Young Lady of Purpose. Florence Nightingale grew to young womanhood under most favorable surroundings. She was well taught, under firm but kindly discipline,' and became an exceptionally accomplished young lady. She had wealth, position in society, and abundant oi)portunities for enjoyment in a life of ease and idle pleasure. But such a life had no attraction for her. Gentle, refined, and modest as she was, she had a strong will and a determination to be of use in the world. Her early love of playing nurse, and the equal pleasura she took in her friendly visits among the poor and the suffering after she had grown to young womanhood, led her to turn her attention to nursing as a profession. A Life Work that Required Courage. In these days, when the trained nurse has such an honored place in our life, we can scarcely imagine what it meant for a young lady of culture and refinement to choose such a work in England when Florence Nightingale was young. Professional nurses were then found usually among the lower grades of women. They were, for the most part, ignorant, untrained, unrehable and even immoral. Drunkenness was common among them, and they were anything but respected. But in all this Miss Nightingale saw the greater need for young women of character and refinement to give themselves to the ministry of healing and comfort. And so, in spite of the wonderment and criti- cisms of many of her acquaintances, she entered the Deaconess Hospital at Kaiserwerth, on the Rhine, to receive her training as a nurse. It is good to know that from her parents she had only sympathy and hearty support. She did her work well, and after graduating went first to her home, ' and later to London, where she became interested in work for street boys, and soon took charge of a Home for Sick Governesses. Here she had an opportunity to show not only the kindness of heart for which she w^as already known, but also the ability to manage things that was her other strong characteristic. 44 Heroes of the Faith A National Crisis. In the year 1854, war broke out between England and Russia, the war which is known in history as the Crimean War. France and Turkey were alhes with England, and the conflict was long and bloody. Very early in the war the allied forces won a great victory at Alma, and the nation rejoiced. But soon after came sad news. The gallant men who had fought so bravely and had been wounded in the battle were in the deepest distress and misery. No proper provisions had been made for taking care of the sick and wounded ; there were no trained nurses, and stores of medicine and supplies were in confusion; wounded men were brought in from the front and left to suffer and to die simply because there was no one to care for them properly. Mr. William Howard Russell, the war correspondent of The London Times, wrote: ** Are there no devoted women amongst us, able and willing to go forth to minister to the sick and suffering soldiers of the East in the hospitals at Scutari? Are none of the daughters of England, at this extreme hour of need, ready for such a work of mercy?" The Angel of the Battlefield. There was one, and she was fitted for the task. There were plenty of tender-hearted, loyal women, ready and willing to go, but there was just one who had the skill, the practical knowledge of affairs, and the administrative ability which was needed to bring order out of chaos and organize an efficient working force of nurses. That one was Florence Nightingale. The nation called her, and she responded with loyal willingness. Within a week's time she had a band of thirty-eight nurses ready to start. They left at night to avoid pubhc notice, for Miss Nightingale's modesty always made her shrink from open praise, and landed at Scutari the day before another great battle. There is not space to tell of all the details of the tremendous task that confronted the Lady-in-Chief , as she was called. Imagine a great barracks building turned into a Florence Nightingale. 2iospital, with long rows of sick and wounded men, packed closely together, even lying on the floor in the passageways, without clean linen, without atten- Florence Nightingale — Lesson Niiie 45 tion, men with their clothing stiff and hard from their own blood, and everywhere filth, rats and other vermin. Imagine a tender-hearted, refined woman looking at all this, knowing that it was her task to bring order out of this confusion, and knowing too that the lives of many of these brave fellows would depend upon how well she did her task. Many a strong man would have trembled before such responsibility, but Florence Nightingale simply went to work. In a short time men found themselves lying upon beds that were clean and comfortable, eating food that was nourishing and well- cooked ; gentle hands attended to bodily needs, and tender sympathy brought comfort to hearts that were ready to de- spair. As Francis Bennoch has written: ** Neglected, dying in despair, They lay till woman came, To soothe them with her gentle care, And feed life's flickering flame. When wounded sore, on fever's rack. Or cast away as slain, She called their fluttering spirits back, And gave them strength again." The soldiers came to look upon Florence Nightingale with something like w^orship in their hearts. No case was so hope- less but she would try to save. No wounds were too horrible for her to cleanse and bind up. The Lady with the Lamp. Day after day she worked in a way that would have prostrated many a more robust person, and then at night, with a lamp shaded by her hand lest the light disturb the sufferers, she would make the rounds of the hospital to see that all was right, or to render any service that might be needed. And so they came to call her " The Lady with the Lamp," and many a rough soldier turned to kiss her shadow as it passed. Our own Longfellow wrote in her honor a beautiful poem, Santa Filoniena, in which he refers to this. When the last hour came, as it did for many a poor fellow, the Lady with the Lamp was at his bedside to speak words of cheer and of the love of God and the hope of heaven. No wonder they worshiped their Lady-in-Chief. Meanwhile she was also winning the confidence and respect of officers and those in authority at home and on the battle- field. Her unerring wisdom and superior skill made even c?ld campaigners look on with amazement. 46 Heroes of the Faith Almost a Mart5nr. After several months of such exhausting labor, Miss Nightingale was herself stricken with fever, and had need of the same loving care she had given to others. The news of her illness was received with consternation, and men in the hospital at Scutari, who had looked unmoved upon death in its most terrible forms, turned their faces to the wall and cried like children. But her life was spared, and she was urged to go home for rest. This she refused to do. She would not leave her post as long as there were so many to be cared for and so much to be done. Even when the war was over, and all England was rejoicing over the victories, she refused to leave her post. The battles were over, but there were hundreds of wounded and sick who still had to be cared for. A Nation's Heroine. At last the time came when she felt that she could return. The British Government offered to send a warship to bring her back, but she declined the offer and came home in the ordinary way, slipping quietly into England and into her old home before any one knew she had returned. There is not space to tell of all the honors that were bestowed upon her, but that is just as her modest, womanly heart would have it. The testimonial that pleased her most was a great subscription which was raised to found a Training Home for Nurses, which had been one of her fondest desires. Fruits of her Work. The strain of the heavy labors in Crimea left Miss Nightingale an invalid, but it did not prevent her from working. She has gone steadily onward promoting by her counsel and advice one good work after another. She has lived to see the profession of nursing an honored one in England, with adequate provision for training. She has inspired many a young woman to a life of noble service and self-denial who might otherwise have been an idler. Her work in Crimea was the beginning of new and better methods of caring for soldiers. Her influence has led to the organiza- tion of numerous societies, like the Red Cross, that aim to reduce the suffering and mortality from wounds and disease. The losses of Japan from these causes during her late war with Russia were lessened in an unparalleled degree because of what the Japanese sanitary commission learned directly or indirectly from Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale — Lesson Nine 47 DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read carefully the story and find out anything else you can about Miss Nightingale's home life and work. 2. In what ways did she show in childhood the traits that made her famous later? 3. What did she think was needed in order to make life worth while? 4. Why did it take special courage to undertake the life work that she chose? 5. What national emergency called her to her greatest work ? 6. What kind of task did she find at Scutari, and how did she perform it? 7. What different kinds of service do trained nurses render to-day? Where do they get their training? What associa- tions of nurses are there in your town or city, and what is their purpose ? (This information can be obtained partly from some recent encyclopedia under "Nurses" or ." Nursing " ; or by inquiry of the charity organization of any large city or town.) NOTE-BOOK WORK. 8. Write " Florence Nightingale " with the date of her birth, at the top of a new page in your note-book. For a picture of her, obtain, if possible, Brown 1237, Perry 151. 9. Write a short account of what most interests you in her early life. 10. Write a short story of her work during the Crimean War. Give the different names that were applied to her, and tell why she was called by them. 11. Make a list of the results that have come from the work of Florence Nightingale for which we have reason to be thankful to-day. 12. Read the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lu. 10:25-37), and write in your note-book some points wherein Florence Nightingale re- sembled him. 13. Write a short account of what is being done for the poor or suf- fering by trained nurses, in your town or neighborhood. MEMORY WORK. Memorize Mt. 25:31-40, a passage which has in it the spirit that inspires Miss Nightingale's life. 48 Heroes of the Faith Lesson 10. GUIDO FRIDOLIN VERBECK. A Citizen of no Country but Honored by Three. Born Jan. 23, 1830; died Mar. 10, 1898. "By faith . . . , when he was called, [he] obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance." Heb. 11:8. A Man without a Country. Did you ever read The Man without a Country, by Edward Everett Hale? That is the story of a man who, as punishment for unpatriotic wrong- doing, was deprived of his citizenship and obliged to forfeit the privilege of living in or even hear- ing of his native land. This is the story of a man who voluntarily gave up his native land, and became literally a citizen of no country, in order that he might give himself to heroic, unselfish service to his fellow men. It is a story of a great man who did great things and won a rich reward. A Beautiful Home. The story be- gins in Holland, that queer little land where canals run everywhere, where boats are as plentiful as wag- ons, where every one learns to skate, and where life is a constant struggle with the ocean. It is a land with a stirring history, full of incidents in which sheer pluck and determination are pitted against superior force and numbers, and pluck wins. Here Guido Verbeck was born in 1830, the son of Carl Verbeek (for that is the true spelling of the name) and his wife Anna. He grew up in a lovely home called The Koppel, surrounded by elms and pear trees and walnuts and a splendid flower and vegetable garden. There was a great hay loft in the stable ; there were cows and geese, ducks, chickens, and a gorgeous peacock. For pets Guido had rabbits, two colts. Hector and Sylvan, and a big watchdog. Castor, who was as loyal to his master as every true boy's dog should be. The children (there were eight of them,) had their swing out under a giant walnut tree, went rowing in a big boat large enough for all, and had all kinds of happy times to which they looked back in after years with keen enjoyment. » Gtiido Fridolin Verbeck. Guide Fridolin Verbeck — Lesson Ten 49 Nor was life without its excitement, even in that peaceful home. In that land, ditches take the place of fences, and when baby Guido was but two years old he barely escaped ending his career by falling into one of these ditches from the narrow footbridge. Fortunately for the world, he was dragged out, a much soused and half frozen youngster, and saved for the work he was to do. Preparing for his Work. Guido went to school at the Moravian Institute, and there did good work in all his studies, but especially in the languages, Dutch, French, and German, while English he picked up from the English pupils who were boarding at the school. It is very hard for a Dutch boy to get the soft th sound in English, and Guido used to practice on this by saying over and over again our old friend, " The- ophilus Thistle thrust three thousand thistles into the thick of his thumb." Then, too, there were the beautiful services at the Moravian church at Easter and at Christmas time, when the young hearts of the children were filled not only with the holiday gladness, but also with love for the Christ who brought the spirit of truest love into the world. Guido was born at a time when the interest in mechanical pursuits was rapidly increasing, and it was quite natural that he should have chosen to be a civil engineer, and for this he was fitted at the institute in Utrecht. Like many anothei young European, he looked upon America as the land of promise for a successful career, and so to Amer'ca he came. From New York he started for Tanktown, near Green Bay, Wisconsin, to work in a factory owned by another Hollander. From Buffalo he took a steamer for Green Bay, but it got no farther than Cleveland. It was caught in a fierce storm on Lake Erie, lost smoke-stack and rudder, and drifted hope- lessly for days with every prospect of never reaching land again. But God had something else in store for Verbeck than being drowned in Lake Erie. The steamer was finally . rescued by a government boat, towed into the harbor of Cleveland, and from there the young man proceeded by another steamer, then by rail, and finally by wagon and sleigh over the worst possible roads, to his destination. But he was not contented in Tanktown for long, nor indeed with the profession of engineering. He went back to New York, then out West to Arkansas, but was still restless, until finally he became convinced that he ought to devote his life to mis- 50 Heroes of the Faith sionary work. His mind thus made up, he entered the theological seminary at Auburn, and began the last stages of his preparation for his true life work. The Work being Prepared for the Worker. Far away across the sea lies the Island Empire of Japan, a truly wonder- ful country, with its miniature trees, and miniature people with giant spirits. We know Japan now as the country of which the whole world is talking, a people that has advanced almost at a bound to a place among the great nations of the earth. But when Guido Verbeck was born the world knew little about Japan, and Japan knew even less about the rest of the world. The Japanese were suspicious of foreigners, and would not permit them to enter the country, nor were their own people allowed to go out. There was one little island, called Deshima, in the harbor in front of Nagasaki^ where a few Hollanders were allowed to live and trade. And so a little of the light of civilization was brought to their doors. During the Crimean War, English ships came to the harbor of Nagasaki to get supplies, and the Prince of Hizen, as that part of Japan was called, fearing lest some of the foreigners should come in, or some of his own people should get out to the English ships, appointed one of his officers, Murata, to see that this did not happen. Murata set guards on shore and in a great circle of boats about the harbor, and he himself used to go out frequently to see that everything was being well done. While he faithfully obeyed the orders of his prince, Murata was himself brought into .more or less contact with the Dutch, and was too intelligent not to see that they knew many things worth knowing. One day he found floating on the water a book, the like of which he had never seen before. He could not read Dutch, but he got an interpreter to read it to him, and found that it told about the Creator of the world, and about Jesus, who taught the love of God for men. And thus did the truth find a loophole even in Japan's wall of defense, and begin to get into the Island Empire. The Opening of Japan, and the Coming of the First Mis- sionaries. In 1854, Commodore Perry and his famous fleet went to Japan, and treaties were arranged by which the Americans were permitted to land and trade. Soon after, Guido Fridolin Verheck — Lesson Ten 51 came the call for missionaries. It is said that one of the princes of Japan remarked, when talking about the treaty, that he would have no objection to the admission of the foreigners if only opium and Christianity might be kept out. This showed clearly that the Japanese did not understand w^hat Christianity really was, and that missionaries were needed to teach them. So the call was sent, and on Saturday morning, the seventh of May, 1859, the good ship Surprise sailed from New York harbor with the first three missionaries from America to Japan on board. They were Guido Verbeck, Rev. S. R. Brown, and Dr. D. B. Simmons, with their wives. It took longer to cross the ocean than it does now, with our swift steamers. The party reached Hongkong on the 25th of August, and it was November 7th before Verbeck reached Nagasaki. What was before him there we shaH see. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. lo Read carefully the story of Verbeck's boyhood and youth. What incidents are there here that remind you of any other characters you have studied about in this course ? 2. What trait of character did he show in his school life that helped to fit him for the patient work of later years? 3. Look up the following named places in your atlas, and get an idea of the distance that Verbeck had to go before he found his true life work: Holland, or The Netherlands, where he was born ; New York ; Green Bay, Wisconsin ; Helena, Arkansas; and Nagasaki, Japan. Remember that he went from New York around the Cape of Good Hope to reach Japan. 4. Read what is said about Japan and the opening up of that country. Find out anything else you can about the country, and about Commodore Perry's expedition. NOTE-BOOK WORK. 5. Start a new page for Verbeck. Write his full name at the top, with the dates of his birth and death. Leave a space for a motto to be selected after you have finished the study about him. 6. Write a brief story of Verbeck's boyhood and schooldays and of the various things that entered into his preparation for his work. 7. In another paragraph tell what you have learned from the story or elsewhere about Japan, and the way in which it was opened up for missionary work. 52 Heroes of the Faith 8. Find a map of Japan that you can paste into your note-book, if possible, or sketch an outline map on which you can locate the places where Verbeck worked. 9. Read Gen. 12 :l-8, and write in your note-book some particulars in which Verbeck's experiences were similar to Abraham's. MEMORY WORK. Commit to memory Isaiah 6:8. A Pioneer in Lesson 11. GUIDO FRIDOLIN VERBECK. the New Civilization of Japan. " He that goeth forth . . . , bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless- come again with joy, bringing his sheaves with him." Ps. 126:6. " So the man without a nation helped to found a nation." Perilous Times in a New Country. It was no easy task that the first missionaries to Japan had before them. While treaties had been made which permitted foreigners to enter the country, the Japanese people were still suspicious of them, and there were many who openly opposed the action of their own government in admitting the white men. Christian- ity was forbidden, and all over the land were little sign-boards announcing that fact, and offering re- wards for information that would lead to the discovery and punishment of Japan- ese who had become Chris- t i a n s . Five hundred pieces of silver were offered to any one who would inform concerning his father, three hun- dred to the informer on his brother, and so on. One day, when Dr. Verbeck tried to talk about Christianity to a Japanese, the man's only response was to put his hand edgeways to his own throat. Buddhism was the religion of A Decree against Christianity. This is one of the decrees of the government, and was written in the Japanese ideograph on a wooden board. It readB as follows: ORDER Hitherto the Christian Religion has been forbidden, and the order must be strictly kept! The corrupt religion is Btrictly forbidden II Done in the 3d mouth of the 4th [>'ear] of Kyo (March, 1868). By order of the Inugami Prefecture. Guido Fridolin Verbeck — Lesson Eleven 53 the country, and the Buddhist oriests were very jealous of any influence that would lessen the*r power. They had a wonderful secret organization, something like that of the Inquisition in Spain. They were very active in tracking down Christians, and used spies, treachery, imprisonment, and torture in their endeavor to stamp out this new religion, of which they were especially afraid. Patience and Perseverance. Verbeck saw that he could not openly preach the Gospel and make converts, so he did what he could. In spite of all the opposition to the Christian reUgion, there was a growing hunger for knowledge of the world and of the English language. The government needed men who should be able to act as interpreters in their relations with the English and Americans, and schools began to be founded for training these men. Verbeck was asked to teach, and accepted the opportunity, using the New Testament and the Constitution of the United States as text-books. In this way he was teaching these Japanese young men what Christianity and American institutions really meant, and, what was even better, he was showing them by his own life what a true Christian man was like. He was kind, generous, unselfish, and never weary of helping them in every way he possibly could. As they came to know him better, they also came to respect and love him. He won their confidence and trust absolutely. He would always tell them the truth about themselves, but so kindly and tactfully as not to give offense. He would help them to make some improvement in their way of doing things, and then generously give them all the credit. This was of especial importance among a people so sensitive and proud as the Japanese. Revolutions and Civil War. During the first part of Verbeck's work in Japan there was constant unrest and con- flict in the land. There was no strong central government, the country being divided into numerous principalities, each with its daimio as ruler. These daimios acknowledged the emperor as their overlord, but the man who had the real power was the shogun, or military commander-in-chief. Some of these clansmen were very hostile to the admission of foreigners, and kept constantly stirring up strife. There were repeated revolts and conflicts, involving various parts of the country, and at one time Dr. Verbeck himself was 54 Heroes of the Faith obliged to leave Nagasaki and take refuge on the island of Deshima for safety. Conditions at last became so bad that no one's life was really safe, and in 1864 the combined fleets of Great Britain, France, Holland, and the United States appeared before Shimonoseki, to demand that the daimio of Choshiu, the clan that was making the most trouble at that time, cease his warfare and respect the treaties that had been made. Per- suasion having failed, the ships opened tire, and the bom- bardment that followed soon convinced the Japanese that these '* barbarians " knew how to enforce their messages, and that it was futile to oppose them. This settled the open door question for Japan. It was a severe lesson, but in the end it was the greatest service that could have been rendered the country. A New Impetus to Learning. New schools were now opened for training interpreters, and Dr. Verbeck was appointed as principal of the government school at Nagasaki. In his classes he had many of those who were later to hold positions of power and influence in the empire. Soon pupils from these schools began to go to America for higher education, and they came back to their own land full of respect for the things that they had seen and learned here. From all over the country came young men eager for knowledge, and especially eager to be in the classes of the man whose name seemed to have become magnetic. Many of them actually thought that the surest way to influence and power was to be taught by Verbeck. Perhaps they were right. The Conversion of Murata. In 1866 something happened that brought joy to the heart of Dr. Verbeck. Murata, the officer who, twelve years before, had been set to guard the harbor of Nagasaki against the foreigners, and had picked up the Dutch Bible floating on the water, came to Dr. Verbeck to be taught more about Christianity. This brave old sol- dier was full of eagerness to know more of Jesus Christ, for whom he had come to feel the greatest of admiration. As he listened, his admiration grew into unswerving allegiance, and he and his brother were baptized, knowing full well that death would be their penalty if they were discovered. A Temporary Setback. In the year 1868 another revolu- tion occurred, which resulted in restoring the mikado, or Guido Fridolin Verheck — Lesson Eleven 55 emperor, to full power, and driving out the shogim, who had been the real ruler. It was also the intent of those who had restored him to power that the foreigners should be expelled. This the new government found it rather difficult to do, so they tried to satisfy the people by more strict measures against the Christians. New notices were put up which stated that " The Evil Sect called Christian is strictly pro- hibited." About four thousand Japanese Christians were taken from their homes, dressed in the red suits used to designate criminals, and sent out into the provinces to work as laborers. They were given three years in Avhich to repent, and if they did not give up their faith at the expiration of that time they were to be beheaded. All this was 'a great trial to Guido Verbeck, but he kept on working, quietly and patiently, and bided his time. A New Opportunity at Tokio. Verbeck's time was to come. The new government established at Tokio was gathering about itself men with their faces toward the future, eager to make their nation great and worthy of a place among the other nations of the earth. Many of these men had been pupils under Verbeck, and now they turned to him for advice. He was called to Tokio to become head of the Imperial University there, and there he was constantly being con- sulted on the most important affairs of state. He showed himself a true diplomat, a statesman of the finest type. With his heart set on just one thing, that of m_aking Japan a Christian nation, he counseled and advised with consummate tact and skill, and the Japanese found his counsel sound. In 1871 the Japanese government sent a great embassy of distinguished men to America and Europe, to study condi- tions there and bring back report. Verbeck himself was the chief originator of this embassy, though he never put himself to the front in the matter, and he had great hopes as to its outcome. Nor was he disappointed. The Ban on Christianity Removed. When this embassy returned, they brought a careful report which showed that Christianity was the root of the best things in the civilization they had found. Soon after this, the sign-boards prohibiting Christianity disappeared from the market-places of Japan, and Verbeck and the other missionaries found themselves able to preach openly the Gospel of Jesus Christ, 56 Heroes of the Faith Honored by the People of his Adoption. The later years of Verbeck's life brought rich rewards for all his labors. He was appointed Adviser to the Senate. The emperor conferred upon him an honorary decoration of " The Order of the Rising Sun." When Verbeck began to travel more freely through the country on his missionary tours, he found need of having a passport from his own country that should in- dicate that he was under the protection of some government. But his long absence from Holland had forfeited his citizen- ship there, and he had lived in the United States too short a ■feime to complete his naturalization as a citizen of this country. Then the Japanese Emperor granted him not only a passport, but the right to travel freely throughout the empire, and to reside where he pleased, virtually adopting him as a citizen of that country, an honor never before granted to a foreigner. But the reward that meant most to Verbeck was that Japan, under the leadership of the men whom he had taught, was' rapidly becoming more enlightened and more open to Christian teaching. When he died, his funeral was attended by large numbers of Japanese officials. The emperor sent a representative, and two companies of soldiers escorted the body to the grave. The city of Tokio set apart a lot for his burial place, and the Japanese people erected a handsome monument to his memory. But his greatest monument is a living one ; the greater Japan that now is, and the Christian Japan that is to be. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read the story carefully, and tell what things you find there that show Dr. Verbeck's courage, his patience, his unselfishness. 2. When did Verbeck reach Japan (see last lesson) ? How long was it before he could 'openly do the thing he came to do — preach the Gospel? 3. Where did he begin his work in Japan? Where did he end it? 4. Find out what you can about the work of Christian missionaries in Japan to-day, especially those of your own church. You can get this information from some encyclo- pedias, under the sub-heading, " Religion," in the article on Japan, or from your church missionary papers, or by writing to the missionary board of your church. Review of Lessons i-ii — Lesson Twelve 57 NOTE-BOOK WORK. 5. Read over both of the stories about Verbeck, and mark on your map the places where he worked. 6. Add to your paragraph about Japan and the way in which it was opened up to missionary work, any additional facts that you have now learned. 7. Write another paragraph telling what Verbeck did for Japan. 8. Write down the names of any places in Japan where your church has missions that were made possible by Verbeck 's work. If possible, give the names of the missionaries who are working there. SOMETHING TO DO. Find out what you or your class can do to help make Japan the kind of nation Verbeck wanted her to become. MEMORY WORK. Commit to memory Pro v. 22 : 1, 29. Lesson 12. REVIEW OF LESSONS 1-11. We have now studied eight different characters, each of whom was a pioneer in some sense, either as an explorer in new country, or as one who struck out along new lines of activity, or along old lines in new ways. It will be well to look back over these studies and gather up some of their results. Read carefully the stories, and what you have written in your note-book about each character, then do the review work suggested, as far as possible from memory. 1. Write " CHARACTERS STUDIED IN LESSONS 1- 11 " at the head of a new page in your note-book. Then make a list of the characters, giving the full name, the time when each lived, the place where each worked, and that for which each is famous. For example : Abraham ; about 18th century B.C. ; Palestine; founder of the Hebrew nation. 2. Name the incidents, taken from the lives of any of these eight, w^hich seem to you best to illustrate the following named traits of character: (i) Courage, (2) Persistence, (j) Patience, (4) Truthfulness, (5) Kindness, {6) Love for fellow men, (7) any other trait that you have observed for yourself. 58 Heroes of the Faith Notice that all these men and women worked and made sacrifices because they had a Christlike love for all the world, and His idea of the sacredness and beauty of human life. 3. Write a short description of the character that you most admire, and give the reasons for your choice. 4. Name any forms of practical Christian service now being carried on, that you have learned about in connection with these studies. SECOND QUARTER Lesson 13. ELIJAH. Champion of Israel's Faith and Popular Liberties. 1 Ki. chs. 17-19, 21. 9th century b. c. " If Jehovah be God, follow him." 1 Ki. 18: 21. The King and the Prophet. Long years ago, and very far away across the sea, there lived a king by the name of Ahab. He ruled over the kingdom of Israel, in Palestine, and made it strong and prosperous. He seems to have been brave in battle, and to have managed the affairs of his kingdom with great wisdom, according to the world's way of looking at it. But he had some serious faults; he valued power and material prosperity above loyalty to God, and he allowed himself to be led into acts of injustice and wickedness in order to gain his own selfish ends. And these things in time proved his ruin. In this same kingdom there Hved another and quite different sort of man, named Elijah. He dwelt in the wilderness, and dressed in the rough garments of a shepherd, and it is very doubtful if, during the earlier years of his life, king Ahab even knew of Elijah's existence. The day came, however, when he knew more than he liked to of this sturdy prophet. The King Rebuked. King Ahab, in order to promote the prosperity of his kingdom, and increase her commerce and wealth, formed a number of alliances, or treaties, with foreign nations. One was with the Sidonians, through his marriage with Jezebel, the daughter of the Sidonian king. Such alliances were all right in themselves, but in those countries there were thought to be many gods, or Baalim, each nation having its own god, or Baal, and when such alliances were made, the nation making the treaty usually recognized in some way the god of the other nation. Even the Hebrew prophets in those days did not realize that there was only one true God, Jehovah ; but they taught that the Hebrews, or Israelites, belonged to Jehovah, who had chosen them as 60 Heroes of the Faith Elijah. From the Copley Print of Sargent's " Frieze of the Prophets" luthe Boston Public Library. (Copyright, 1898, by Curtis and Cameron.) His own people, and had saved them from the Egyptian bondage, and from many other dangers and distresses. They taught that because of this kind- ness the people of Israel had no right to worship any other god. Elijah believed this with all his heart, and was convinced that Ahab's alliances were wrong, as they led the people to worship strange gods. Believing this, his duty was clear. Though but a humble prophet, and knowing that Ahab might put him to death if he chose, Elijah sud- denly appeared before the king, and announced the punishment which he believed Jehovah would send upon the land for the sins of king Ahab: " As Jehovah, the God of Israel, liveth, there shall not be dew nor rain these years." Then EHjah disappeared, and through all the long drought and famine that followed, Ahab could not find him. A Contest for the Honor of Jehovah. The time came when Elijah returned and again met the king face to face. Ahab was angry, and cried out, " Is it thou, thou troubler of Israel?" But Elijah replied, sternly, " I have not troubled Israel; but thou, in that thou hast forsaken the commandments of Jehovah." Then he hurled at the king this challenge: There was to be a great assembly on Carmel, and there would be four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and four hundred more prophets of the Asherah, or sacred trees, and all of these were under queen Jezebel's special protection. Ehjah proposed that he, quite alone, should meet these men and make test of the relative strength of their gods. The day came, and great crowds of people were gathered. Elijah said to them, " How long will you go limping like a lame man between two opinions? If Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." He then proposed that each side erect an altar, and prepare a sacrifice, and pray for fire. The god that answered by fire was to be recognized as God in Israel. All the people agreed to this. First, the Baal Lesson Thirteen — Elijah 61 prophets went to work. They built their altar, laid the sacrifice upon it, and began calhng, " O Baal, hear us ! O Baal, hear us!" There was no reply. They danced and cut themselves with their knives, trying to influence their god. Then Elijah began to make fun of them. " Call louder," he said. " He is a god; and he may be thinking, or perhaps he has gone away, or he may be asleep, and must be awakened." And the Baal prophets called until they were hoarse, and jumped up and down till they were exhausted, and gashed their bodies until the blood streamed down upon the ground. At last Elijah took his turn. He repaired the altar of Jehovah that had been neglected and had fallen into ruin. He prepared the sacrifice upon it, and, in order to make the test more impressive, he ordered that the whole should be drenched with water until it was soaking wet, and the water Mount Carmel. Pr»m a pbotfgraph. filled the trench that was dug around the altar. Then, with quiet dignity, he approached the altar, and uttered this prayer: " O Jehovah, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Jehovah, hear me, that this people may know that thou, Jehovah, art God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again." And with this, Hghtning fell from heaven upon the altar, and consumed the sacrifice, and dried up the water, and the people fell to the ground in awe and amazement, crving out, " Jehovah, he is God ; Jehovah, he is God." Then, at Elijah's 62 H§f0^s of the Faith command, all the prophets of Baal were slain by the people whom they had deceived. Elijah in Peril. Queen Jezebel was terribly angry when she heard what had happened, for the Baal religion was her religion, and she had been responsible for bringing many of these Baal prophets into the country. Elijah's deed was also a rebuke to her. She vowed to have his Hfe, and Elijah fled. He hastened toward Mount Horeb, or Sinai, where God was thought to have His special dwelling-place, and there hid in a cave. While there, he had an experience in which God revealed more clearly to him that His kingdom is not to be established through force, but rather through quiet personal influence, and through obeying the voice of con- science. Elijah had done what he believed to be right, and God had honored his faith ; but he wished to teach the earnest prophet that there was a better way. You can read about this in 1 Ki. 19:9-12. And Elijah was soon to have the chance to teach this lesson to the king. An Unjust Deed. There lived in the kingdom a man by the name of Naboth, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel, which had come down to him from his ancestors. It happened to be near Ahab's palace, and Ahab wanted to buy it to add to his gardens. Naboth, however, declined the offer, as he did not wish to part with his family inheritance. Ahab went home very much out of sorts, and threw himself down on the bed like a spoiled child, and refused to eat. Soon Jezebel came in and asked what was the matter. ** Naboth the Jezreelite will not sell me his vineyard," whined the king. Now in the country of Jezebel the kings were more absolute monarchs, and more tyrannical, than they had become in the land of Israel, and Jezebel gave quick advice from her own experience. " Are you king in Israel?" she asked. " Come, cheer up, and I will get Naboth 's vineyard for you." So she sent written orders to some of the court officers to arrest Naboth, and have him accused of some crime and then put to death. When she had written the letters, she sealed them with Ahab's royal signet ring. The officers did as she commanded, and then Jezebel said triumphantly to Ahab, ** Arise now, and go take the vineyard that Naboth refused to sell to you, for Naboth is dead." So Ahab got his vineyard, Lesson Thirteen — Elijah 63 but tne act brought a dreadful penalty on him and on his wicked queen. The Champion of the Rights of the People. Elijah soon heard of the act of Jezebel and Ahab, and hurried to accuse Ahab, his soul full of righteous indignation at this wicked disregard of popular rights and of justice. He found the king in Naboth's vineyard, surveying his ill-gotten possession, and the king's guilty conscience told him what was coming. " Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?" asked Ahab. And Elijah replied, " I have found thee, because thou hast sold thyself to do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah. Jehovah shall bring evil upon thee, and utterly cut off all that are of thine house. And the dogs shall eat Jezebel by the ramparts of Jezreel." And with these words, the prophet of righteousness left the guilty king to his own conscience. The Books of Kings tell how king Ahab repented in fear, but too late to undo all the mischief, and how the words of Elijah came true, of the punishment that came upon the house of Ahab, and of the terrible fate of the proud and haughty Jezebel who had persuaded Ahab to play the tyrant. As for Elijah, he went his way among the people, a strong man, respected by all for his uprightness and justice, until God took him to Himself. And to-day, among people to whom the name of Ahab is almost unknown, Elijah the proph- et is known as the Champion of Israel's Faith and Popular Liberties. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read the lesson story and also the Elijah stories in 1 Ki. chs. 17-19, 21, and 2 Ki. 1:1—2:12. 2. Where was Elijah during the famine (1 Ki. ch. 17)? How was his life saved ? 3. Tell in your own words the story of the contest on Mount Carmel, and its result. (See lesson story and 1 Ki. ch. 18.) 4. What commandment did the people disobey in wor- shiping Baal ? (Ex. 20 : 3 ; 34 : 14.) 5. Tell the story of Elijah's experience at Mount Horeb, and the lesson he learned from it. (1 Ki. 19: 1-18.) 6. Tell the story of Naboth's vineyard. What punishment did Elijah say was to come upon Ahab and Jezebel (lesson 64 Heroes of the Faith story and 1 Ki. ch. 21)? How were Elijah's predictions ful- filled (1 Ki. 22:29-38 and 2 Ki. ch. 9)? 7. Tell the story of the end of Elijah's life. (2 Ki. 2: 1-12.) NOTE-BOOK WORK. 8. Start a new book for this quarter's work, with the first page for EHjah. Write his name at the top, and leave space underneath for a motto or sentence that seems to you to describe the spirit of the man and his work. This sentence is to be selected after you have finished the study. 9. Select a picture for this lesson. Some good ones are Sargent's Prophets (Brown No. 844, Perry No. 1036, Wilde No. 503); Bonts, Elijah in the Desert (Wilde No. 495) ; Dore, Slaughter of the Prophets of Baal (Wilde No. 494). Paste the picture selected on the first page of your book. 10. Write a short outline sketch of the life of Elijah, putting into it in fuller detail the story about him that you like best. 11. What do you most admire in the character of Elijah? MEMORY WORK. Learn 1 Ki. 19: 1-18 to use as a declamation. Lesson 14. AMOS. The Herdsman Prophet. Between 780 and 740 b. c. "Jehovah took me from following the flock, and Jehovah said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel." Amos 7: 15. An Interrupted Festival. A religious festival was going on at Bethel, one of the sacred shrines of Israel. There were scenes of rejoicing and revelry, and of dissipation as well. There was much wine being drunk, and the people danced in a frenzy of excitement about the image of the bull which the king had set up. They were especially joyful this year, for business had been good, the king had won many battles, neighboring nations had been subjugated, the men of Israel had been getting rich, and everything looked prosperous. Suddenly a strange, wild-looking man pushed his way through the crowd to a place where all could see him. His dress and appearance showed that he was a laboring man, a shepherd, but there was something in his bearing and in the Lesson Fourteen — Amos 65 expression of his face that made men give way before him with respect, and turn to look after him curiously. Now he raises his voice, not in joyful celebration, but in a piercing wail of lamentation : " The virgin of Israel is fallen; She shall no more rise: She is cast down upon her land ; There is none to raise her up." The people were amazed and troubled. What does the man mean? Why does he raise this lamentation to spoil the merrymaking? What blasphemy, to speak evil of the nation when all can see that she is prosperous ! Who is the man, any way? And some one said, in awestruck tones, " 'Tis the shepherd prophet, Amos ; and this is not the first time he has raised his voice in condemnation of the nation for its sins. What will the king and the high priest say? " A Rebuke that Failed. They soon found out. The high priest, Amaziah, had been troubled before by this uncom- fortable prophet, who insisted upon calling things by their right names, and denouncing wrongdoing wherever he saw it. Only a short time before this the priest had said to the king, " It will never do to have this fellow speaking against your rule in this way ; the people cannot stand it." And now the high priest undertakes to rebuke the prophet himself. Dressed in his magnificent robes, he advances upon the roughly clad shepherd, with stern anger in his face. " You seer ! " he cries, " go home to your own land, and prophesy for your living, but do so here at Bethel no more, for this is the king's sanctuary, and a royal house ! " There was a faint murmur of approval from the interrupted merrymakers. " Ah ha ! now see him slink away. How dared he speak thus in the pres- ence of the high priest ! " But those who expected to see the prophet cower before his stately opponent were greatly mistaken. Instead of that, he drew himself up with a gesture that was royal in its sug- gestion of authority. Here was the very man he desired to meet; one of those who was leading the people astray. " I Amos. From a Coplay print, copyright by Curtis & Cameron. 66 Heroes of the Faith am no professional prophet ! " he cried, his eyes flashing de- fiance and righteous indignation at the priest. " I was a shepherd and a farmer, and Jehovah took me from that work, and gave me a message for this people. And now do you say, * Prophesy not against Israel '1 Hear me, Amaziah. Disas- ter and punishment shall come upon you and your family for your sin, and you shall die a captive in a strange land ! " The people could hardly believe their ears, nor their eyes either, as they saw the proud priest cringe before the stinging rebuke of the prophet. Here was a bold man surely ; what if he should be right? What the Prophet Condemned. There was need for some one to raise his voice in rebuke, and to arouse Israel to a sense of her shortcomings. In the midst of material prosperity, the people had grown selfish and careless. It was not the worst of their evils that they had broken the commandment against setting up images for worship ; they had done worse than that. The rich had grown richer by deeds of injustice, and even cruelty. The poor had been oppressed, and the little they possessed had been taken away from them in order that the idle, luxurious wives and children of the rich might live in greater ease and comfort. Intemperance and drunk- enness were everywhere to be seen. Impurity of thought and speech and action were common. Israel was rapidly becoming as bad as the nations round about her, idolatrous, corrupt, utterly selfish ; and the prophet Amos, tending his flocks on the hillsides of Tekoa, had seen what was going on, and knew that such things could not continue long without bringing ruin in more ways than one. And, as he thought it all over, he began to see that God was calling him to be His messenger, to speak to the people, and reprove them for their sins and warn them of their danger. How Amos Got the Attention of the People. Amos was a skilful speaker. He knew that if he began at once to de- nounce the people of Israel, they would not listen at all. So one day he appeared in a public place, and cried out, " Je- hovah will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem." And the people stopped to hear what this man would say in the name of Jehovah. " For three transgressions of Damas^ cus, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof." And as the prophet went on to tell of the wrongs Lesson Fourteen — Amos 67 done by their old enemy, Syria, the people nodded approv- ingly and said, " Serves them right, they ought to be pun- ished." " For three transgressions of Gaza, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof," continued the prophet ; and the people were again delighted with the con- demnation of another old enemy, the Philistines. So it went on, until the prophet had their attention and their approval, as he foretold punishment upon one after another of their hated foes, and they never noticed that he was getting closer home all the time. Suddenly they looked up, startled and astonished — what did they hear? " For three transgressions of Israel, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof: because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes." Ah, Israel, you approved when the prophet spoke of punishment to come upon others for their sins ; you cannot dodge, now that it has come home to you. The people never could forget that sermon, much as many of them would have liked to. The Pimishment of Israel. Amos was a far-sighted man, who studied what was happening, and saw what was surely coming if Israel went on in her course. The great Assyrian nation to the north of them was growing stronger all the while, and Amos saw that it would not be very long before Israel w^ould fall before it, as so many others had done. The day would come when the intruder would be upon them, and men should flee, and yet not escape, and even the brave should run away from the peril that threatened. Then those who might gladly hear what God had to say through His prophets should have no opportunity so to do, for all would be carried away into captivity among strange nations. Their beautiful palaces would be in ruins, their fair fields would be laid waste, and the rich and prosperous nation of Israel would be desolate, with none to raise her up. Thus Amos taught the lesson that others of the prophets also taught, that wealth and prosperity, without righteous- ness, was no blessing, bvt only a curse ; and that whoever transgressed God's law in order to gain his own selfish ends will surely suffer for it. It took courage of a very high order to speak so plainly the truth that men needed to hear in spite of their unwillingness to listen. And there are prophets to-day, just as courageous and just as clear-sighted, who are 68 Heroes of the Faith against injustice and wrongdoing whether by rich or poor, and they are all messengers of God. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read the story, and then the Book of Amos, remember- ing that it consists of three sections: chs. 1, 2, the Intro- duction; chs. 3-6, a series of addresses of condemnation ; and chs. 7-9, a series of visions of what was to come upon Israel, with a short bit of narrative in ch. 7, and some remarks upon Israel's sins. 2. Notice carefully, as you read, what is said about the prosperity of the nation, the wrongs that were common, and the punishments that God would send. 3. Read Lu. 9:25; Prov. 14:34, and find other Scriptural expressions of the same lesson that Amos taught. Can you find instances of it in modern life ? 4. Upon whose authority did Amaziah order Amos not to prophesy at Bethel? 5. Upon whose authority did Amos declare that he would speak his message ? 6. Read Acts 4: 1-20 and see if you can find there a similar case of courage. 7. Under what circumstances is it right not to obey those who have legal authority? 8. Read Micah 6:8, and find there a summary of right conduct as the prophets saw it. NOTE-BOOK WORK. 9. Write the heading for your Amos story at the top of a new page. A good motto to put underneath might be the words of Amos to Ama- ziah in 7:14, 15. 10. Paste underneath the heading Sargent's picture of Amos (Brown No. 843, Perry No. 1034, Wilde No. 505). 11. Write a story of the work of Amos, bringing in the following points, the information for which may be found in the story and the Scripture references given. Who Amos was, and where he came from: Amos 7: 14. The kings of Israel and Judah in whose reigns he prophesied: Amos 1:1. The political successes of Israel under Jeroboam II: 2 Ki. 14. 25. 28. The signs of prosperity and wealth: Amos 3:12, 15; 5:11; 6:4-6, Lesson Fifteen — Jeremiah 69 The wrongs of the nation's social Hfe: Amos 2:6; 3: 10; 5: 10-12; 8: 4-6. The penalties that Amos predicted: Amos 2:1 3- 16; 3:11, 15; 8:10- 12; 9-9, 10. The good that God would send the people after they had repented : Amos 9: 11-15. 12. Write at the close of your story the words of Micah in Micah 6 : 8. MEMORY WORK. The book of Amos is full of addresses which make fine declamations: for instance, ch. 4; 5:1-15; ch. 8; 9:7-15. Learn Micah 6:8. Lesson 15. JEREMIAH. The Enlightened Conscience of Judah. 2 Ki. chs. 21-23; Jer. chs. 1, 19, 36-39. From 626 to about 580 b. c. "Jehovah said unto me. Say not, I am a child; for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak." Jer. 1:7. Troublous Times in Judah. About one hundred years after the time of Amos, there Hved in the little village of Anathoth, near Jerusalem, a young man by the name of Jeremiah, among whose ancestors had been some famous priests. Jere- miah was very modest, though possessed of great ability and courage. He was patriotic, too, and this led him into much trouble, for things did not go well with the people of Judah during his life. Years before, the great king Hezekiah had started a reform which much improved the moral and relig- ious conditions of the land. Then had come his son, Manas- seh, under whose rule those who worshiped Jehovah expe- rienced evil times. Manasseh followed by Amon, his The Piophet Jeremiah. By Michael Angelo. was son, but he reigned only two years, when he was assas- sinated by some of his servants. The people rose against 70 Heroes of the Faith the conspirators, put them to death, and placed the young prince Josiah on the throne. Called to be a Prophet. Jeremiah felt keenly the troubled state of affairs. From his earliest childhood, he had been taught to love his country, and he believed that God had some special purpose for His people. He had also been taught that he should serve God as his fathers had done. Finally, the time came when he felt that God was calling him to begin his life-work of preaching to the people. In his youth and inexperience, he shrank from the task, know- ing that it would be no easy one. If he were faithful to his duty, he would have to say some very unpleasant things — things that would make his countrymen angry. They would refuse to listen to him; they might even do him harm. It was a hard struggle, but so great was Jeremiah's sense of duty, and so clear his conviction that God was calling him to this work, that he went into it in spite of all misgivings, and never turned back, even though it more than once led him into deadly peril. King Josiah's Reforms." About five years after Jeremiah began his work, a law book was found in the temple, which was probably our Book of Deuteron- omy. It was read to the king, and it affected him greatly when he real- ized how his people, through igno- rance, had not kept the laws of God. He walked up and down, tore his outer robe to show his grief, and de- clared that reforms must be made at once, in accordance with the teach- ings of this book. Conditions began to improve, but soon a great disaster came. Fatal Battle of Megiddo. There ruled in Egypt at this time a great Pharaoh, Necoh II, who was trying to take back from the Assyrians the country Egypt had once possessed. The king of Judah was a vassal of Assyria, and when Necoh marched north with his armies, Josiah decided to oppose him. It was a rash undertak- ing, since Josiah lost not only the battle but his life. His son A Book of the Law. From a photograph of an ancient copy of the Pentateuch at Shechem. Lesson Fifteen — Jeremiah 71 became king, but only for three months, when Necoh placed Jehoiakim, another son of Josiah, upon the throne of Judah. More Troubles for the Prophet. Jehoiakim was a selfish, luxury-loving king. In spite of the heavy tribute, or tax, imposed by Necoh upon the land, he had a costly palace built, forcing men to work on it without pay. In Jer. 22: 13-17 are recorded words that the prophet spoke when re- buking the king for this injustice. As is usually the case, when thoroughly selfish men are reproved for their wrong- doing, many of Jeremiah's countrymen, who may have been interested in the king's projects, became angry at the brave prophet, and formed a plot to take his life. The prophet learned of it; but instead of being afraid, he publicly an- nounced the conspiracy, and denounced the conspirators. Soon after this, Jeremiah went to the temple and there de- livered a powerful sermon to a great congregation. It was a scathing rebuke for their wickedness and for the insincerity of their religious life. Among other things, he predicted that Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed as a pun- ishment. This was like blasphemy to most of the people, since it implied that Jehovah was not strong enough to defend His temple and the Holy City from harm. The priests and prophets tried to have Jeremiah put to death, and he was only saved by the interference of some princes. The next thing Jeremiah did was to take a number of the chief men of the city out into the valley of Hinnom, where all the refuse of Jerusalem was thrown, and there he dashed in pieces an earthen vessel, saying: " Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, . . . even so will I break this people and this city." This made Pashhur, the chief officer of the temple, so angry that he struck Jeremiah, and put him in the public stocks. Jeremiah Collects his Sermons. Jeremiah now saw that he could not go on speaking so plainly without danger of imprisonment or death, but he had not the slightest idea of stopping on that account, for his conscience told him to be loyal to his mission. He determined to collect his sermons and to put them into writing, so that others might read them, even when he could not preach. So he called a young scribe, named Baruch, and had him write down the things that he most wanted the people to hear and remember. He 72 Heroes of the Faith then sent Baruch to read the book in the temple. The princes heard of it, and sent for Baruch to read the book to them. " How did you come to write these words? " they asked. " Jeremiah the prophet dictated them to me," was Baruch's reply. ** Go, then, and hide yourselves, both of you," said the princes. Then they took the book in to read to king Jehoiakim. They found him in his winter palace, sitting near the fire. They began to read, but before they had gone very far, the king snatched the book, cut it in pieces, and threw it into the flames. Then he ordered some of his officers to arrest Baruch and Jeremiah, but they kept out of the way. Jere- miah was so far from being intimidated by this action, that he went to work immediately to make a second collection of his sermons. This time he added a stinging rebuke to king Jehoiakim for destroying the first book, and predicted that he would meet a terrible fate. Nothing apparently could daunt the spirit of the heroic prophet. Jeremiah Accused of Treason. The years passed by. In the meantime Assyria and Egypt had been defeated by Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylonia (or Chaldea). Judah had at first submitted, but in trying to throw off his yoke had failed and been severely punished. Jeremiah was wise enough to see that Judah 's only hope lay in quiet submission to the Chaldean king, who was too strong to be successfully opposed, and this he persistently advised, but other counselors told the new king, Zedekiah, who was a weak and undecided character, that he ought to throw off the Chaldean yoke, and assured him that the Egyptians would help him. It was easy to raise the cry of " Freedom and Patriotism " ; it was also easy to accuse Jeremiah of cowardice, and even of treason, because he opposed the popular policies and counseled submission to Nebuchadrezzar. Zedekiah finally refused to pay tribute to the Chaldeans, and they at once besieged Jerusalem. The Egyptians came to their help. The siege was raised. Then the people were more sure than ever that they were right, and that Jeremiah was wrong, but he only said, " Wait and see ; the Chaldean army will soon dispose of the Egyptians and return to Jerusalem." This increased the ill-will of the people, and one day when Jere- miah went out from the city, to attend to some business at his own home, his enemies got up a story that he was going Lesson Fifteen — Jeremiah 73 to desert to the Chaldeans. He was arrested and cast into prison. He appealed to the king, and Zedekiah at first tried to save him, but later weakened under the arguments of Jeremiah's enemies. They took the prophet and let him down into a cistern, at the bottom of which he sank into deep mire, and there they left him to starve or suffocate. It surely looked as if the prophet's work was done. Rescued Again. But not so. Jeremiah still had friends, one of whom, Ebed-melech, a negro upper servant in the king's palace, went to the king and protested so vigorously that Zedekiah again changed his mind, and told him to take thirty men to help him rescue the prophet. They let down ropes with some old rags to put under Jeremiah's arms, so that the cords would not cut as they pulled him out of the mire, and drew him up to safety. A Faithful Counselor. Then king Zedekiah sent for Jere- miah and asked his advice. ** What shall I do about the Chaldeans? " he asked. ** If I tell you the truth, O king, you will not hearken, and will probably deliver me up to my enemies again." " As Jehovah liveth," replied the king, " I will not put you to death, nor will I give you up to those men " Then Jeremiah repeated his advice, to submit to Nebuchadrezzar as the only safe course. King Zedekiah was afraid to follow this counsel, the popular demand was so strong the other way. He kept his word to Jeremiah, how- ever, and said nothing of their interview. The Prophet Justified. It was not long before the wisdom of Jeremiah's words became apparent. Nebuchadrezzar captured Jerusalem, king Zedekiah was taken prisoner, his sons were killed before his face, his own eyes were put out, and he was carried in chains into Babylon. This was the end of the kingdom of Judah. Nebuchadrezzar appointed an officer to look after the country, and the few who were left there. Jeremiah remained in Judah and continued his thankless task of giving wise counsel to a people who seemed to have utterly lost their senses. An Exile in Egypt. Before long, an irresponsible band of fanatics assassinated Gedaliah, the Jewish governor who had been appointed by the Chaldean conqueror. Jeremiah again counseled quiet and order, saying that Nebuchadrezzar 74 Heroes of the Faith would not punish them all for the act of a few. But again they refused. to listen, and fled in a panic to Egypt, forcing Jeremiah to go with them. Here the heroic old prophet ended his work. Tradition says that he was stoned to death by his own countrymen, angry no doubt at some plain speak- ing for their own good. Thus ended a career of one who was in many respects the grandest of Old Testament prophets, a true hero, naturally quiet and retiring, yet absolutely coura- geous in the discharge of his duty, a man of that type de- scribed by the poet Lowell: " Count me o'er earth's chosen heroes — they were souls that stood alone, While the men they agonized for hurled the contumelious stone; Stood serene, and down the future saw the golden beam incline To the side of perfect justice, mastered by their faith divine, By one man's plain truth to manhood and to God's supreme de- sign." DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read the first section of the lesson story, " Troublous Times in Judah," then read 2 Ki. ch. 21, to get a clear idea of the situation that Jeremiah had to face ; then finish read- ing the story. 2. Where did Jeremiah come from, and who was his father? (Jer. 1:1.) 3. What made Jeremiah shrink at first from taking up his life's work, and what overcame his hesitation? (Jer. 1:6-8.) 4. What message did he have for the people of Judah? (Read one of his sermons, Jer. ch. 7, for example.) 5. Read Jer. ch. 26, and see how the people received this sermon. 6. Read Jer. ch. 36. Why did Jeremiah have his sermons written? How were they received by the king? What do you find in this chapter that indicates Jeremiah's courage? 7. Why did Jeremiah advise king Zedekiah to submit to -Nebuchadrezzar? (Jer. ch. 37.) 8. What accusation did the people bring to Jeremiah on this account? 9. What trouble did this bring upon Jeremiah? How was his life saved? (Jer. ch. 38.) 10. Where did Jeremiah die? Lesson Sixteen — John Wyclij 75 11. Which of the three prophets you have studied about do you like best: EHjah, Amos, or Jeremiah? Why? NOTE-BOOK WORK. 12. On a new page of your note-book, write the name of the prophet and the main facts about his home, parentage, scene of his Hfe-work, and the reigns in which he labored, as given in Jer. 1: 1-3. 13. Paste underneath this the picture selected for this lesson. Sargent's Jeremiah, Jonah, Isaiah, Habakkuk is good (Brown No. 845, Perry No. 1037, Wilde No. 507). 14. Write a thorough account of any incident in the life of Jeremiah that seems to you best to illustrate his heroism. MEMORY WORK. Learn Jer. 9 : 23, 24. Jeremiah's sermon in the temple, given in ch. 7 of his book, would make a fine declamation, either entire or in part; also, Jer. 24:1-7, or the oracle against Egypt, 46: 1-12. Lesson 16. JOHN WYCLIF. " The Morning Star of the Reformation." Born about 1324; died Dec. 31, 1384. " Jehovah is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? Jehovah is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?" Ps. 27: 1. *' I believe that in the end the truth will conquer." — Wyclif. Stirring Times in Old England. If you had lived in England in the days of Edward III and his brave son, " The Black Prince," you would hardly have lacked for excitement. Very likely you would have had more of it than you alto- gether cared for. England was at war with France for many long and weary years, until finally victory was hers, and many are the tales of knightly heroism and adventure that have come down to us from this period of history. But there are many dark shadows in the picture, and some things that are unpleasant to look upon. There was really but one church in those days, and that was the great Church of Rome with the pope at its head. The pope had grown more and more strong, and had extended his spiritual rule over more and more lands, until at last he had come to want the poHtical power 76 Heroes of the Faith as well, and practically claimed the entire rule. He did not actually wish to manage the affairs of the kingdom, but only to have the king pay a certain amount of tribute money to him in recognition of his overlordship. Then there were all sorts of other ways of exacting tribute: Peter's pence, tithes and taxes and '* firstfruits " and special grants, until matters got to such a pass that the pope was getting more money from England than the English government could collect for its own uses. To make matters worse, the priests and monks and friars lived in idleness, gluttonous luxury and even sinfulness, shocking all pure-minded and genuinely devout people by their corrupt lives, while plundering these same good people of their means. And if people protested or refused to do as the church ordered, then various ways of punishing them were found, even to excommunication, by which one was cut off from all the benefits of the church, and from many of the pleasures of human society. A Champion of Justice. A few years before Edward came to the throne of England, there was born somewhere near Richmond a boy whom God was to use as the means of start- ing some very important reforms in the church. We know very little about the boyhood or early life of John Wyclif. He was educated for the ministry, studied at Oxford University, and became one of its most famous teachers. From the very first he was dis- tinguished for his love of the Bible and the prominence which he gave to it in his teaching. He also felt very keenly the insincerity and frequent immorality of the clergy, and spoke strongly against such abuses. But the thing that first brotight him into general public notice was his advice to Parliament when pope Urban V demanded the payment of the annual tribute, which had been imposed years before in the time of king John, but which had not been paid for thirty-three years. Wyclif advised Parliament not to pay it, and they refused the pope's demand absolutely. This was a bold thing for Wyclif to do. John WycHf. Lesson Sixteen — John Wyclif 77 for he was himself a priest, and therefore in a special way under the control and power of the pope. But he chose to follow his own conscience rather than consider his chances of advancement in the church. Attacking the Friars. England was at this time overrun with the mendicant friars, representatives of the orders founded by Dominic and Francis. On the continent of Europe these friars were behind the Inquisition, with all its frightful persecution and tortures, and their power was very great. They were supported by the pope, because they were useful to him. Few people dared incur their suspicion even, much less oppose them openly. Yet they had degenerated into a social plague, going about and begg^'ng from the people, while they themselves lived in luxury, practising all sorts of impositions and frauds, pla3^ing upon the superstitions and ignorance of the people, and thus keeping them in their power. Wyclif boldly denounced these men, and exposed their claims and pretensions, and this brought upon him even more strongly the hatred of the papacy. Accused of Heresy. Before long, Wyclif was summoned to appear before a council headed by the lord bishop of Lon- don, to answer for his teachings. In those days it was a serious thing to be accused of heresy, or teaching not approved by the church. For a priest it might mean loss of his position and means of livelihood in the church, and also a summons to Rome ; and there, once in the power of the pope, it might - mean trial before the Inquisition, and martyrdom. But all this troubled Wyclif very little. Nor did he have to go alone, though he would undoubtedly have done so, as he did later. His disinterested services to the government had won powerful friends, and when he went to this council, he was accompanied by the duke of Lancaster and the earl marshal of England, two of the most influential men in the realm. The council never got to any conclusion, for a dispute at once broke out between those champions of the reformer and the bishop of London, and the meeting broke up in a riot. Wyclif went straight on with his teaching, and soon his enemies sent a list of charges against him to the pope. The reply was a number of papal decrees, or " bulls," calling upon the king, Oxford University, the archbishop and all the clergy to arrest Wyclif, stop his teaching and try him for heresy. Very little 78 . Heroes of the Faith attention was paid to these demands. Wyclif was too strong in the favor of both king and people to be touched. Finally another council was held, and Wyclif was again summoned. He went with the same boldness as before, made answer to the charges, showing that he would not take back a word of his teaching, and awaited his sentence. But a vast crowd of the people had followed him to the council, and threatened mischief if anything were done to harm their champion. Moreover, a messenger came from the queen mother herself, forbidding the council to pass sentence upon Wyclif. The bishops were afraid to do anything, and let Wyclif go with a very mild reproof, and the condemnation of his teachings. This troubled him not at all, for he went right on teaching. The Tables Turned upon the Pope. So far, Wyclif had been opposing the papacy and clergy on the grounds of political rights and common morality. Now he began to attack them on the grounds that they were heretics themselves, and that they were teaching things that Christ Himself never taught. This aroused even greater anger, because if their teaching were overturned the power of the pope and priests would be gone. Even Wyclif's friends in the government and the university began to turn against him. The duke of Lancaster told him he had better leave the teaching of the church alone. Wyclif replied with dignity and firmness that he must teach what he believed to be true, and he added, ** I believe that in the end the truth will conquer." The Greatest Weapon of All. Wyclif was now on ground where the selfish interests of many who had supported him before did not follow, and so he stood practically alone. Moreover, he added another to the list of charges against him by translating the Bible into the English language, so that all who could read might have it for themselves. Hither- to, it had been obtainable in Latin only, and none but the clergy could read it. The church had kept it away from the people, and taught them only what it pleased. Now, all might read and find out God's truth for themselves. Bitter words were spoken of Wyclif for this act, but it endeared him more than ever to the common people. This translation of the Bible was, after all, Wyclif's greatest work, and the one for which he is most widely known and remembered. Lesson Sixteen — John \Vyclif 79 Its language is quaint and unfamiliar to us, as may be seen from the reading of the Lord's Prayer; Mt. 6: 9-13, in the Wyclif Bible. "JforsJotfje tf)us( pe gfjulen prepen, 0\xxt fabir tfjat art in |ieuene£(, fjaltoib be tfti name; tiji kpngbom cumme to; be tfji luille bon asi in \^mtn anb in ertfje; gif to b£{ tfjia; bap oure breeb ouer otfjer gubgtaunce: anb forgeue to bs; oure bettis;, as; toe forgeue to oure bettours;; anb leebe bsi nat in to temtacioun, but belpuere b£f from euel." But it was the common language of the day, and dear to the people. Condemned by the Roman Church, but Undaunted. WycHf was again summoned before an ecclesiastical council to answer for his attacks upon the doctrines of the church. He knew that his position in the university and in the church was at stake, and perhaps his life as well. But when the lord bishop called upon him to state whether or no he had spoken against the teachings of the church, and, if so, to recant, Wyclif looked steadily at him and the others, and replied with another of those keen, merciless reproofs directed against the clergy who were teaching false doctrines in order to maintain their own power over the people, instead of teaching the truth and living lives of service. And then, having delivered this mingled rebuke and defiance, he left the room with such dignity and calmness that even his en- emies dared not stop him. He went home to the parish of Lutterworth, of which he was pastor, and passed the remain- der of his days in peace, serving the people who loved him, and continuing his work of translating the Bible and teaching the truth. He was finally stricken with paralysis and died at home. Wychf is called " The Morning Star of the Reforma- tion," because he was one of those who first began to teach the truths that later led men to throw off the yoke of supersti- tion and oppression which the Roman church had laid upon them. He is a conspicuous example of a man who dared to follow the truth wherever it might lead, and who was pro- tected by his own boldness, and by the fact that he was able to lead even the statesmen of his day. 80 Heroes of the Faith DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read the story, and then answer the following questions: 2. What evils were common in England when Wyclif began his work? 3. What first brought him into prominence ? 4. What means were taken to counteract his work, and how were these defeated? 5. What was his last and greatest work? 6. What gave him courage to keep on with his work in face of powerful opposition? 7. Look up anything more that you can find out about Wyclif, either in books written about him, or in the encyclo- pedias. An interesting short story of his life is written by David J. Deane: John Wicliffe, the Morning Star of the Reformation. In looking him up it is important to notice that different writers spell his name differently: Wiclif, Wicliffe, Wyclif, etc. NOTE-BOOK WORK. 8. Write a short story of Wyclif, emphasizing any incident that most appeals to you in his life. 9. What seems to you the greatest thing to be learned from his life and work? 10. In what way does Wyclif resemble any of the Bible characters you have just studied? MEMORY WORK. Learn the words of Christ in Mt. 10:16-19. These were words that Wyclif loved to read, and that inspired him. Lesson Seventeen — Girolamo Savonarola 81 Lesson 17. GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA. The Patriot Priest of Italy. Born Sept. 21. 1452; died May 23, 1498. " By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted; But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked." Prov. 11:11. Childhood and Youth in Sunny Italy. Forty years before Columbus discovered America, Girolamo Savonarola was bom in the city of Ferrara, in the north of Italy. His grand- father was a distinguished physician, and Girolamo was educated for the same profession. As a lad he was quiet, retiring, and a little inclined to be melancholy, but of an affectionate disposition. There was much in the life about him to make a pure and sensitive spirit sad. The condition of society and the church, bad in the days of Wyclif, had grown worse, until the priests and the monks, who should have been leaders in all good ways, were as bad as can well be imagined. All this weighed heavily upon the mind of young Savonarola. He would often wander in the open fields and by the river banks, weeping for very shame as he thought of 'the sin and wickedness all about him. Meanwhile men went on in careless indifference, paying little heed to the noble lad who cared so much for them or the tears of honest indignation that he shed because of their ways. Convent Life. Finally Girolamo could no longer endure the sight and sound of so much wickedness. He determined to retire into a convent, which was the best way that men knew at that time to escape from the evil in the world. He went to the convent of Bologna, asking that he be allowed to do the plainest kind of raenial work. He had been a bright student, but was so sick of the empty kind of learning of which men thought most in those days that he was anxious to get away from it all. Soon he was appointed to be the teacher of the novices in the convent. This was not w^hat he wished to do, but obedience was one of the first rules of the brother- hood, and he obeyed cheerfully, and did the work to the best of his ability. He soon learned that he had not left all the folly and wickedness of the world behind him. Even in the convent he found selfishness and laziness and immorality. His own pure life was a rebuke to those about him, and his noble spirit was soon stirred to begin the work of reform that led to his death. 82 Heroes of the Faith The Brother of St. Mark's. Savonarola was later trans- ferred to the city of Florence, where was the convent of St. Mark, or San Marco, as it is called in their language. He was called upon to preach, but at first made a failure of it. He had none of the tricks of eloquence of which the speakers of that day made so much, and few people would listen to him. Florence was at this time completely under the rule of the famous Lorenzo de' Medici, called " The Magnificent," who had robbed the city of its ancient liberties while keeping up a pre- tence of them. In return for liberty, and to keep the people contented, he indulged them in all sorts of games, carnivals, and the most foolish and degrading excesses. The carnivals were celebrated with songs and dances that we would not allow for an instant upon the public streets. Savonarola was indignant at what Gxrolamo Savonarola. ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ himself with firm determination against these abuses and the man who was re- sponsible for them. Savonarola and Lorenzo de' Medici. There came a time when Savonarola gained a sudden power that made his preaching a new thing, for God gave him a message, just as Ht gave messages to the Old Testament prophets. Then he began to speak to the people of their sins, and to announce the judgment that would surely come upon them, until they trembled for fear. They came in ever greater crowds to hear him. Extra wooden galleries had to be built in the great cathedral to accommodate the throngs. People got up in the middle of the night and went to the cathedral, so as to get good places to hear. Lorenzo de' Medici was soon forced to take notice of this man who alone in all that city dared to face him and to rebuke him publicly for his wrongdoing. But, except for these rebukes, he could not make the preacher take notice of him. Savonarola was elected prior of the con- vent, and it was the custom that each newly elected prior should go to Lorenzo and do homage to him as the protector Lesson Seventeen — Girolmno Savonarola 83 of the city and the convent. Savonarola did not go. The timid brothers of the convent came and suggested that he ought to do so. " Did Lorenzo de' Medici make me prior; or did God.'"' asked Savonarola. " God, of course," replied the brothers. " Then I will thank my Lord, not mortal man," was the reply. In religious affairs, Savonarola would recognize as his superior no man whom he saw to be the evil genius of his beloved city. He went on preaching, sparing no one, prince or priest, in his scathing rebukes. Yet in it all he spoke with gentleness, even tenderness. We can hardly imagine now what courage it took to say such things in those days, when the rulers in both church and state were in the habit of putting to death most cruelly those Avho dared oppose their will. It took more than a little heroism to face the terrors of the Inquisition. Savonarola knew perfectly well what risks he was incurring. He expected martyrdom, and often spoke of it. Piero de' Medici. Lorenzo died, and was succeeded by his son Piero, haughty, imperious, as dissipated and wicked as his father, but not nearly so wise or politic. He hated Savonarola bitterly from the first, and sought to get rid of him in some way, but he could not frighten the prior of San Marco. Nor did he dare go too far in attacking him, for fear of the people, for by this time Savonarola had gained wonderful power over all the people of Florence. They almost worshiped the man who so bravely told them the truth and was so gentle and loving in his good deeds among them. So his enemies had to proceed against him by cowardly and treacherous means, biding their time and plotting ceaselessly how they might destroy him. Invasion of the French. In 1494 Charles VIII of France invaded Italy. Fear prevailed on every hand, but Savona- rola was calm and undisturbed. Like the prophets of Israel, he saw in this the judgment of God on the land and that it might be for the good of the people. One day the cathedral was crowded with people who had been waiting a long time for the preacher to appear. At last Savonarola entered the pulpit. There was absolute silence in that great throng. With solemn utterance he gave out his text: " And behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth." Every one thought of the French and shuddered as the preacher 84 Heroes of the Faith went on with his sermon, telling them that God Himself was directing the French armies. Piero de' Medici now played the coward. He went out with an embassy to meet the French king, and gave over to him all the defenses of the city without making any attempt to secure terms for it. The city was in a tumult of rage and despair. It needed very little to start a wild riot of bloodshed and vengeance on the family that had betrayed them. Then they turned to the one man whom they had learned to trust, and rushed to the cathedral. There they heard words like these: " Now the sword has come, the prophecies have been ful- filled, the scourges have begun. It is the Lord who guides these armies, O Florence ! The time of songs and dances has passed away; it is now time to bewail thy sins with rivers of tears. Thy sins, O Florence ! thy sins, O Rome ! thy sins, O Italy ! are the cause of these stripes. ... I turn to thee, my Lord, who didst die for love of us and for our sins. Pardon, O Lord, pardon the people of Florence, who now desire to be thine." A Leader in a Crisis. Under the spell of Savonarola's words, the city turned to him as a child to its father. He held them steady, he kept order, he went out to meet the French king for them and spoke to him as fearlessly as he had to Lorenzo de' Medici, he gained for the city consideration of which the other ambassadors had despaired, he became the leading adviser in the formation of a new government which, for a time, restored the liberties of the city after the treacherous Medici were banished. A more wonderful exhibition of power on the part of one true, unselfish, wise man over an entire city has probably never been seen. Well for Florence had she remained loyal to her prophet and con- tinued to listen to his counsel. But dark days were coming — dark for Savonarola, darker yet for fair Florence. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read the lesson story and, in addition, whatever you can find out about Florence, Lorenzo de' Medici, or Savona- rola, in encyclopedias or other books. George Eliot's Romola brings in much of the story of Savonarola. Mrs. Oliphant's Makers of Florence, and Lord's Beacon Lights of History, vol. iii, are both very interesting. Lives of Savonarola may be procured in any public library. Lesson Eighteen — Gtrolamo Savonarola 85 2. Why did Savonarola become a monk? 3. In what city did he take up his life-work? 4. Who was ruler here, and what kind of man was he? 5. How did Savonarola conduct himself toward this ruler ■ 6. Read 1 Ki. 21:20-22; Amos 2:6; 7:14, 15; Jer. 7:1-7. Lu. 13:31-35. In what ways are the experiences of Savona- rola like the incidents narrated in these references ? NOTE-BOOK WORK. 7. Write Savonarola's name and the places and dates of hi? birth and death at the head of a new page. Select a picture, perhaps the portrait of Savonarola (Brown No. 614, Perry No. 2577), and paste underneath. 8. Write a story of Savonarola's early life, bringing in the following points : His boyish characteristics. His feelings about the life of the time. _ The first great decision of his Hfe, and its cause. The city of which he became a citizen. Its ruler, and Savonarola's relations to him. The great crisis through which Savonarola helped the city. MEMORY WORK. There is a chapter in the New Testament that might well be called The Honor Roll of the Heroes of Faith. It is well worth knowing by heart. Learn Hebrews 11 : 1-10 in connection with this lesson. Lesson 18. GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA. A Prophet who Met a Prophet's Fate. " The memory of the righteous is blessed; But the name of the wicked shall rot." Prov. 10 : 7. A Reform of Manners. Savonarola was now, for a time, the practical ruler of Florence. People turned to him for advice on almost every detail of the new government. The most important of the laws were first suggested by him. He was the brain and conscience of the city. It would have been easy for him to turn this power to his own inter- ests, but he thought only of the betterment of the people. He saw clearly that true liberty was essential to the best interests of Florence, and he helped to safeguard that. He had introduced many reforms into the life of the convent 86 Heroes of the Faith over which he was head, and he now introduced many more into the Hfe of the city. Among the other v/ild and reckless scenes of the carnival time, it had been the custom for the boys to run riot, stopping people on the streets and almost forcing money from them, throwing stones, fighting one with another around their great bonfire in the square, and doing much damage. Savonarola organized these boys into bands, each with its captain. He sent them about the city to collect, not money, but the various costumes and things that had been used at the carnival time. These they brought into the public square, and there made of them such a bonfire as they had not had even in their wildest days. The carnival for a time was reformed. His Enemies Stirred Up. These reforms made many enemies, as well as friends, for Savonarola. There were many who disliked having their selfish pleasures interfered with. There were undoubtedly some, who had made money out of the excesses of the people, who did not like having their gains cut down. Piero de' Medici was constantly plotting how he might regain control, of the city, and he knew that he never could do this so long as Savonarola had so much power. The pope was becoming increasingly angered at him for his unsparing condemnation of the clergy for their evil ways. All these enemies were constantly plotting and conspiring together against him. Savonarola saw only too clearly what the end must be. Sooner or later his enemies would get him in their power, and he knew, that he need expect no mercy. But Savonarola had no more idea of shrinking from his duty, on this account, than Jeremiah had when threatened by the king and princes, or than Jesus had when warned that Herod would kill Him if He did not stop His teaching. He went straight on with his preaching. One day, after hearing of a particularly severe criticism of himself, the pope asked one of the bishops of the church to make pubHc reply to Savonarola. *' But," said the bishop, ** how can I answer him? What he says is true, is it not? I advise you to buy him off. Offer to make him a cardinal if he will stop preaching against the church." This advice pleased the pope, and he sent a special messenger to see Savonarola. The prophet met the man kindly, but when he heard his errand he told him to come to the sermon the nex-^ day, and he should have his reply. He got it, in 9 Lesson Eighteen — Girolamo Savonarola 87 public and scathing rebuke of the pope for attempting to buy him off, and an indignant refusal of the offer to silence him by bribery. The Ordeal by Fire. Finally, his enemies managed to get Savonarola into an unfortunate predicament which greatly injured his influence with the people. He had finally been excommunicated by the pope, but went on .with his work, disregarding the papal command. A Franciscan monk made a public attack upon the teachings of Savonarola, and challenged him to the ordeal by fire, a foolish custom some- times resorted to in earlier times, to prove which of two parties in a dispute was right. Each champion was to pass through a great bonfire, and if one came out unhurt it was to be a sign that he was right. Savonarola was at first opposed to such a test, but Fra Domenico, one of his most devoted supporters, took up the challenge, firm in his faith that God would justify His prophet. The Franciscan had no idea of ever going near the fire himself, but he hoped that he might get Savonarola into it, and thus take his life. The rulers who were in power just at this time were hostile to Savonarola, and they helped on this plan to discredit or kill their enemy. Though faithful Domenico insisted upon him- self undergoing the ordeal, saying that God had a greater work for Savonarola, the rulers hoped in some way to injure the brave preacher. A day was set for the ordeal. The great square was crowded with people eager to see this terrible sight. In the center was a huge pile of inflammable stuff with a passage through the middle wide enough for the two champions. Savonarola and the brothers of San Marco appeared with Fra Domenico, who was to make the trial for their side. The soldiers of Florence were there, and also armed men from among the friends of Savonarola, determined to protect him against any sudden attack that might be made. But the monk w'ho had issued the challenge and the one who was to go through the ordeal were not on hand. The Franciscans raised all kinds of objections, to delay matters and excuse them for not appearir^g. First they said that Domenico's garments had been enchanted against the fire. He promptly changed them for others. Then they objected to his carrying a crucifix into the fire, and he laid this aside and took only the sacrament. Meanwhile they were circulating all sorts 88 Heroes of the Faith of rumors and trying to lay the blame of the delay upon Savonarola. The people, many of them hostile, most of them only conscious that they were being cheated out of the spectacle they had come to see, grew more and more impatient and unruly, and finally, when the rulers sent word that the ordeal would not take place, it was all that the soldiers friendly to Savonarola could do to get him back in safety to the convent. It was all exceedingly unjust, but a mob is always unjust, and the enemies of Savonarola had counted upon this. They had succeeded in turning the mob against him and breaking his influence over the people, and the rest was easy. The Final Tragedy. The next day was Palm Sunday, the anniversary of that day when Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph, only to go out of it to the cross. A brother of San Marco was to preach that evening in the cathedral. The enemies of Savonarola attacked the cathedral to prevent the sermon from being given. There was a wild scene of bloodshed and riot. Savonarola at first forbade resistance, but he could not prevent his followers from defending them- selves and him. The rulers sent an order for Savonarola, Domenico and another monk to give themselves up and come to the palace, promising to set them at liberty as soon as the riot was over. Savonarola and Domenico obeyed. They were bound and hurried through the crowd amid every imaginable kind of insult and violence. Stones were thrown at them, they were pounded, kicked, reviled and all this by the very populace that only a few years before had hailed Savona- rola as its prophet and deliverer. Brought before the rulers, they were briefly questioned, and then, ^^^^■^^oVtcchxo, instead of being set at liberty, as The execution of Savonarola took place . - °, . • . in front of the fountain at the left in ^^aS OrOmiSed, they WCrC pUt mtO the picture. . ^ „. .1 • j ^ o•^ prison. The third monk, bilves- tro, was in hiding, but was betrayed and arrested also. Then followed the examination before a tribunal made up of the Lesson Eighteen — Girolamo Savonarola 89 bitterest enemies of Savonarola. They tried to make him confess that he had deceived the people and claimed to teach in God's name what was only for his own glory. To accom- pUsh this, they used the method common in those days, that of torture. Savonarola was subjected to the most fiendish tor- ment for eleven days, until he was often delirious from agony. Even then they could get nothing that would convict him, so they published false accounts of his replies. Then came com- missioners from the pope, empowered also to examine the accused man. They arrived boasting that they had the sen- tence all ready. They might better have passed it at once, but they were not so merciful. Again the brave, gentle Savonarola was dragged from his cell and made to endure two or three days more of torture before the sentence of death was passed upon him. His companions were examined separately, and in addition to the torture they were told that their master had confessed himself to have been entirely in the wrong. Their last night on earth was passed in the hall which had been built for the great council which Savonarola had helped to form. On its walls were the lines that he himself had written : " If this great council and sure go\-ernment, O people, of thy city never cease To be by thee preserved as by God sent. In freedom shalt thou ever stand, and peace.** The next morning the three monks were led forth into the great square, and there, amid the jeers and hoots of the people for whom Savonarola had labored so unselfishly, they were hung and then burned. It might seem as if Savonarola had failed utterly, and that his enemies had triumphed. But not so. Florence found out too late her error in departing from the wise counsel of the man she had sacrificed. The memory of the miserable pope who triumphed for a time is now scorned and despised by the whole civilized world, while Savonarola left a name that will always stand among the Heroes of the Faith. His intense moral earnestness and his reliance on the Bible as a safe and sufficient guide made him a forerunner of the reforma- tion which under Luther broke the spiritual despotism of the papacy. 90 Heroes of the Faith DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Review the previous lesson story, and read this one through. Read further the books about Savonarola that you have at hand, or can find in the library, and learn more of the details of his later life. 2. In what ways did Savonarola show his unselfishness? his purity of heart and life ? his courage ? his devotion to his duty? 3. In what respects was his death like that of Jesus? (See Mt. 26:3, 4, 47-67; 27:27-31, 39-44.) 4. What are some of the greatest things that Savonarola did for Florence ? for the church ? for all the world ? NOTE-BOOK WORK. 5. Select another picture, such as a view of Florence, the cathedral (Perry No. 1664, Brown No. 972), or the square (Piazza della Signoria) where Savonarola was executed. 6. Finish your story, bringing in such incidents as most interest you in this lesson. MEMORY WORK. Learn Hebrews 11 : 11-16. Lesson 19. MARTIN LUTHER. The Hero of the Protestant Reformation. Born Nov. 10, 1483; died Feb. 18, 1546. " There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." Rom. 8:1. The Miner's Boy at School and College. In the same year in which Girolamo Savonarola was put to death in the city of Florence, a fifteen-year-old lad came into the streets of Eisenach in northern Germany, and went from house to house singing to earn his bread. He had a fine voice and a pleasant face, and soon attracted the notice of Frau Ursula Cotta, the wife of one of the leading merchants of Eisenach. She invited him in, gave him something to eat, and, finding that he was trying to earn his living while getting an educa- tion, she gave him a home with her husband and herself. Nothing else that Ursula Cotta ever did brought her half so much fame as did her kind hospitaHty to this poor lad. For the boy was destined to become famous. He was to carry much farther than Savonarola the work of reforming the Lesson Nineteen — Martin Luther 91 church, and was also to become the spokesman of the people of Germany. I wonder if he ever dreamed, as he looked up from the house of Frau Cotta to the great castle of the Wartburg on the mountain far above the town, that for centuries after his death that castle would be famous chiefly because of the time that he should spend there. Probably not, for as yet Martin Luther was but a plain lad, the son of a poor miner, Hans Luther of Mansfeld. His mother Gretha carried the family supply of wood on her back that she might warm and care for her children. Martin always loved and honored his parents, although they were stern in their discipline, too stern at times. His mother once whipped him until the blood came on account of the theft of a nut. His schoolmasters, too, were severe, one of them flogging Martin fifteen times in a single day. But Martin got along well in his studies, although as a boy he learned a lot of foolishness from the ignorant and super- stitious miners, who believed that the woods and streams of the mountains were peopled with sprites, and witches, and spirits both good and bad. Martin got many of these ideas into his head, and it took him a long while to learn better. His father wished him to become a law^^er, and young Luther studied for this profession at the University of Erfurt, then the leading university of Germany. He was devout and care- ful about religious matters, and always began the work of each day with prayer. He used to say, " To pray well is to study well." Luther Becomes a Monk. Because of his deeply religious nature, Luther did not find entire satisfaction in his legal studies. When he was about twenty-two years old two events occurred which, with other reasons, determined him to become a monk. An intimate friend was suddenly killed, and a Httle later Luther himself narrowly escaped death in a tremendous thunderstorm. In his fear, he called upon his saint and vowed to become a monk if his life was spared. Having made the vow, he stuck to it and entered the monas- tery two weeks later. His father was very angry, and for many years could not bring himself to forgive his son for this action. The day came, however, when he was proud of Martin for the great work he was doing. Luther's Cloister Life. You know something already about 92 Heroes of the Faith the conditions that prevailed within the monasteries in those days, although Luther did not find them quite as bad as Savonarola had in Italy. The church in Germany, though far from perfect, was much better than that in Italy. There were many who, like Luther, had taken this way of devoting themselves to a really religious life. Luther was faithful in his duties, working hard, and inflicting all kinds of penances and fasts upon himself in order that he might quiet his con- science and find peace of mind. He constantly troubled himself about his sins, and believed that evil thoughts were sinful even when he did not yield to them. He learned better in later life, and used to say that evil thoughts were like the birds: " You cannot prevent the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from making nests in your hair." His hard life told severely upon his strength, and at one time it seemed as if he would not live long. After a time, however, it dawned upon him that peace of mind was not to be gained through penances, but through following Jesus in faith and trust, loving God and serving one's fellow men. This was the great discovery of his life, and taught him the real meaning of the words of Paul, quoted at the head of this story. Luther's Visit to Rome. Another important experience in Luther's life was a visit to Rome on some business of the monas- teries. He went there on foot with high anticipations of the rich blessing that he should gain, for he thought of Rome much as the old Jews thought of Jerusalem. When he saw the city, he fell on his knees and cried out, " Hail, Holy Rome !" Like many another pilgrim, he started to make the long ascent of " Pilate's staircase " on his knees, repeating a prayer at every step, when suddenly he seemed to hear a voice saying, " The just shall live by faith." He immediately sprang to his feet and left, ashamed of his folly. He soon learned that Rome was anything but holy. He was shocked at the irreverence of the priests, who rattled off their prayers in most Martin Luther. Lesson Nineteen — Martin Luther 93 unholy fashion. They laughed at him for his earnestness and mocked at the most sacred things. Luther went back to Germany a sadder and wiser man, and understood better for the rest of his life how much the church needed reform. Tetzel, the Indulgence Peddler. Soon came another expe- rience that brought Luther into open conflict with the pope and the church. The pope at this time was Leo X, of the house of Medici, the old enemies of Savonarola. He was a cultured, luxurious, selfish man who cared not a straw for real religion. He wanted money for his own use, and to finish the great cathedral of St. Peter's. He decided to get it by selling " indulgences," through which — so the people believed — the purchasers might escape the penalties of their sins. The church taught that while forgiveness of sins was granted to the penitent, yet this forgiveness did not free the sinner from certain penalties, which must be suffered either in this life or the next. But through indulgences the church claimed to have the power to transfer to men some of the superfluous merits of Christ and the saints, and so deliver the sinner from these penalties. These indulgences were granted to those who made gifts to the church, or did some service which rendered them worthy of this consideration. It should be remembered, however, that at first indulgences were re- stricted to men truly penitent. But this restriction was utterly ignored by the men who now began to peddle in- dulgences like any other goods that might be offered for sale. In 1517 Pope Leo sent a monk named Tetzel into Germany for this purpose. He was a man of sinful life and coarse speech. *He came into one town after another with much display, carrying a great red cross with a wreath of thorns, and a money box. The cross was set up in the church, and then Tetzel would call upon the people to buy his indulgences, just as an auctioneer would cry his wares. He told them that by buying an indulgence they might escape doing penance for their sins. He would even name over various crimes, and say, " If you have committed crimes like these, all you have to do is to buy an indulgence." He urged them to buy in- dulgences for the daad, that they might deliver the soul of some dear friend from purgatory, saying, " When in the chest the money rings, Out of its j)ain the spirit s;)rings." 94 Heroes of the Faith He even sold indulgences to cover sins that might be com- mitted in the future. One nobleman who was much dis- gusted with Tetzel got even with him on this point. He told Tetzel that he wished to take revenge on an enemy and wanted to purchase an indulgence to cover the offense. After some haggling, the price was fixed, and the nobleman got his in- dulgence with the pope's seal attached. Then he and his men waylaid Tetzel as he was passing through a wood to the next town, beat him soundly and took his money box from him. Tetzel was furious, and had the man brought before the duke, but the nobleman produced his indulgence, which covered this very act, whereupon the duke laughed and let him go. Champion of the Truth. Luther was indignant at these barefaced frauds in the name of religion. He preached against them openly, and finally posted on the doors of the cathedral at Wittenberg a list of ninety-five propositions attacking this system of indulgences and challenging any one to debate the matter with him. In this he was simply following a common custom of those days, when scholars used to hold public debates over disputed questions; but this act of Luther's was a turning-point in his own career, and in the history of the church and of the German nation. It led to stirring times before very long. The news spread rapidly, and aroused consternation and alarm. Luther was hailed by many as the leader for whom they had been waiting; by others he was denounced as a heretic, a second Savonarola. But he was more than that. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read the lesson story and anything more that you can find about Luther, especially about his early life. There are many biographies written about him, and you can find plenty of information in any public library. 2. Look up on the map of Germany the location of Eisleben, his birthplace; Eisenach, where he went to school; Erfurt, where he went to the university ; and Wittenberg, where he did most of his work. 3. What difficulties did Luther have to meet in his boyhood ? 4. What traits of character impress you most in his early Ufe? Lesson Twenty — Martin Luther 95 5. What first brought him into prominence as a Protestant reformer? 6. What did Luther mean by comparing evil thoughts to the birds? 7. What do you understand to be the meaning of the verse trom Romans quoted at the beginning of this lesson? NOTE-BOOK WORK. 8. Write at the head of a new page Luther's full name. Paste below it a portrait of hnn (Brown No. 1265; Perry, Boston edition, No. 785). 9. Make a list of the important events in the life of Luther, beginning with his birth, giving place and date, and going on with the events of the next lesson. Supplement this list with any incidents that you may have learned from your own reading. MEMORY WORK. Learn the following " Morning Blessing " taken from Luther's Short Catechism: " I thank thee, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, that Thou hast preserved me through this night from all harm and danger, and I beseech Thee Thou wouldest protect me this day from sin and all evil, that all my deeds and my life may be pleasing in Thy sight. For I commend myself, my body and soul, and all, into Thy hands. Let Thy holy angel be with me, that the evil one may have no power over me. Amen." The 37th Psalm is one of which Luther was very fond, and in which he found great comfort. Vss. 1-8 are especially good to commit to memory. Lesson 20. MARTIN LUTHER. The Fearless Foe of the Papacy. " The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against Jehovah, and against his anointed." Ps. 2 : 2. In the Thick of the Fight. Luther's bold stand against the abuses in the church soon brought upon him the attacks of those whose wrongdoing he was reproving. These men had no real defense to make ; they simply accused Luther of being a heretic and a rebel against the authority of the church. Luther replied by appeahng to the Bible as the supreme authority, higher than that of the church. At first the pope was disposed to underestimate the importance of Luther's 96 Heroes of the Faith influence and teachings and to make light of the whole affair, but finally the Dominicans of Italy got him stirred up to active enmity against the brave monk who dared criticise him and the church. Luther knew perfectly well the danger he was facing. He was not ignorant of Savonarola's martyr- dom, and knew that men were calling him a second Savona- rola. He knew that John Huss had been burned in Bohemia for heresy, but this could not keep him from following the course that he felt was right. Luther would probably have suffered the fate of Savonarola and Huss had it not been for the fact that he lived in Germany, and was under the protection of the powerful Prince Frederick, elector of Saxony. The pope had no power to put any one to death. Capital punishment could be executed only by per- mission of the emperor. But the Holy Roman Empire, as it was called, had long since lost most of its power, so that the emperor himself had to be careful about arousing the anger of the princes of northern Germany, lest he lose what little power he had left. Many of these princes believed that Luther was right, and were ready to defend him by force of arms if need be. But notwithstanding these friends, the brave monk was in great danger owing to the tremendous influence and unscrupulous character of his ecclesiastical foes, who would not wait for legal means to destroy him if they could only get him into their hands. Luther's First Trial. The pope finally commanded Luther to appear at Rome to answer to the charge of heresy before a judge who had already accused him as a heretic. There could be but one issue to such a trial, and Luther, though always brave in the path of duty, was not so foolish as to be led into a death trap to no good purpose. He and his friends insisted that the trial should be held on German soil, and a conference was finally arranged with Cardinal Cajetan, the papal delegate, at Augsburg. It proved to be no conference at all. Cajetan simply demanded that Luther should take back all that he had said, without any further argument. This Luther would not do, and finding that Cajetan was planning to have him arrested, he slipped away by night and returned to Wittenberg. The Pope's Bull, and its Fate. Luther went on preaching and teaching, and the people eagerly listened to his words and Lesson Twenty — Martin Luther 97 read what he pubHshed. Finally the pope issued a " bull," or order, excommunicating Luther and commanding that his books be burned. He would gladly have burned Luther also, but he could not get hold of him. The bull was sent into Germany, but Luther called a meeting of " all friends of evangelical faith," outside the city wall of Wittenberg, where a great bonfire was kindled, and the bull of excommunication was publicly burned, together with a copy of the canon, or church, law of Rome. By this act Luther placed himself in open rebellion against the Roman church, and defied the pope. In view of the immense power of the papacy, we can hardly imagine now what a bold act this was. Luther's Declaration of Independence. The conflict went on, the pope ever trying to silence Luther, and Luther growing ever more outspoken in his attacks upon the papacy. Finally he was summoned to appear before the diet, or imperial council, in the city of Worms, there to answer to the emperor for his teachings. Many of his friends feared that, in spite of the imperial pledge of safe conduct, Luther would never reach Worms, or, if he did, would not leave it alive, and they urged him not to go. But he rephed, " Though there be as many devils in W^orms as tiles upon the roofs, I will enter." The pope really did not want to have Luther appear at this council, fearing his influence over the people. Various tricks were used to prevent his attending the diet, but they all failed, and Luther entered the city in the midst of a great procession. He came before the council, a splendid array of princes, cardinals, and high officials, most of whom were prejudiced or violently hostile to him. " Martin," said the emperor's representative, " the emperor hath summoned you thither to answer, first, whether you have written these books, and others published under your name, and, secondly, whether you will recant, or abide by them." Luther replied that he had written the books, and asked for a day's time in which to prepare his reply to the second question. This was granted, many thinking that Luther was frightened and that he would recant. As he entered the council hall the next day, a famous old general, George von Freundberg, touched him on the shoulder, saying, " Good monk, you have a fight before you this day, such as neither I nor any of my comrades in arms ever had in our hottest battles." 98 Heroes of the Faith The council soon found that Luther was not frightened nor awe-struck. He repHed very clearly that he was willing to be convinced of error, but otherwise he could not retract what he had said. " His majesty is not here to hold a disputation," was the reply ; " he wants a plain answer without horns." ** Well, then," said Luther, " since his imperial majesty wants a plain answer, I shall give him a plain answer, but deprived of neither teeth nor horns. Unless I be refuted from Scripture or by clear argument, I shall recant nothing against my conscience." These courageous words aroused much excitement, amidst which Luther exclaimed again, ** I cannot do otherwise. Here I stand. God help me !" Luther left the council, and it is thought that from that night, which he spent in prayer and devotion, dates that magnificent old hymn which has been called the war song of the Reformation, Ein' Feste Burg ist unser Gott ("A Mighty Fortress is our God"). " A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing; Our Helper He, amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work his woe; His craft and power are great; And, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal. ** Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing, Were not the right Man on our side — The Man of God's own choosing. Dost ask who that may be ? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth is His name, From age to age the same. And He must win the battle. " And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkne'ss grim — We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo ! his doom is sure ; One little word shall fell him. Lesson Twenty — Martin Luther 99 *' That word above all earthly powers — No thanks to them — abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours, Through Him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also; The body they may kill, God's truth abideth still; His kingdom is forever."" A Friend in Need. There were those who would have seized Luther and put him to death then and there, but, to the credit of the emperor, he would not allow the three-weeks' safe- conduct which had been given Luther to be violated. The friends of Luther knew, however, that as soon as the three weeks were over, and when he was once back at home, every effort would be made to arrest him and bring him to punishment. For the council had finally placed him under the ban of the empire — that is, he was to be an outlaw, and all were forbidden to give him food or fire or shelter. His property was to be taken away from him, and his followers punished. On the journey back to Witten- berg, Luther stopped at his old home, Eisenach. In a wood near the city a band of armed men suddenly appeared, seized him and carried him off a prisoner. They were kindly foes, however, and Luther soon found himself rather a guest than a prisoner at the Wartburg, the great castle which still stands upon the crest of the mountain above Eisenach. This plan had been adopted by his friend, Prince Frederick of Saxony, to conceal him and keep him from his foes. Luther Translates the New Testament. During his stay at the Wartburg, Luther kept on with his writing and, most important of all, began to translate the New Testament into German so that all the people who could read at all might read it for themselves. He was blamed for this, just as Wyclif had been for translating the Bible into EngHsh, but Luther did not mind savage criticism very much by this time. Be The Wartburg. 100 Heroes of the Faith fore a year had passed, he returned to Wittenberg, feeling that things there needed his attention so much that personal danger should not keep him away. He had so many friends that the sentence of the ban was never executed, and here he spent the rest of his life, taking trips every now and then to visit the churches. He wrote many letters, rebuking the pope, counseling the clergy, advising and even admonishing princes. There is not time to tell of the other stirring events of the Reformation time, of the peasants' war or the activities of the Smalkald League. These you will read of in history. Luther started out in the world with the conviction that the greatest thing in life is to follow one's conscience and to do one's duty faithfully as before God. He lived up to his convictions, and became thereby the reformer of the church and the champion of the rights and liberties of a whole nation. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Finish your study of the life of Luther in this story and other books. 2. Tell to some one the story of his life in your own words and from memory. 3. What seem to you to be the greatest events in his career? 4. Do you think that George von Freundberg was right when he said that the fight that Luther had before him at the Diet of Worms was greater than any of his own battles 1 5. Which takes the greater courage, to fight with fists or weapons, or to stand up for one's honest convictions in the face of prejudice or ridicule or hatred? 6. Does your life at home or at school call for any of the kind of courage and heroism that Luther had ? NOTE-BOOK WORK. 7. Complete the list of events in Luther's life if you have not al- ready done so. 8. Underscore with red ink the events that you think most impor- tant, and tell why you choose these. 9. Add a picture of the Wartburg, or of Eisenach, or some other scene connected with the life of Luther, if you can find one. MEMORY WORK. Learn A Mighty Fortress is our God. You should also learn the music to this, and sing it. Think as you read it of the scene through which Luther had passed, and note the meaning that each line muf^t have had for him. Lesson Twenty-one — Gaspard dc Coligny 10\ Learn also Luther's " Evening Blessing," as a suggestion for a good prayer to use at the close of the day : " I thank Thee, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Thy deai Son, that Thou hast graciously protected me through this day; and I beseech Thee Thou wouldest forgive me all my sins wherever I have done wrong, and mercifully guard me this night. For I commend myself, my body and soul, and all, into Thy hands. Let Thy holy angel be with me, that the evil one may have no power over me. Amen." Lesson 21. GASPARD DE COLIGNY. The Leader of the French Huguenots. Born Feb. 16, 1517; died Aug. 24, 1572. " Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle ? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, And speaketh truth in his heart." Ps. 15:1, 2, An Ill-fated Friendship. Had you been in Paris about 1540, in the reign of king Francis I, you might have seen two young men who were evidently warm friends. They were constantly together, riding through the streets at full gallop or strolling quietly in the gardens at evening. At the tourna- ments, on the hunt, playing tennis, in all the sports enjoyed by the young men of that time, Gaspard de Coligny and Francis de Lorraine were comrades and chums. Few would have imagined that the day was coming when these two should be enemies, leading hostile armies. But their friendship was of a kind often seen between natures so different that time inevitably leads them apart. Francis was handsome, light-hearted, generous, full of life, a favorite with all who knew him, but without strong principles. Gaspard was more quiet, no less generous, but more steady and self-controlled, not so easy to get acquainted with, but a man whom one could always trust absolutely. Gaspard*s Early Training. The Colignys were an old and noble family in France, and Gaspard was taught from boyhood the meaning of noblesse oblige — that noble birth or rank implies the obligation of noble conduct. His father died while he was yet a child, leaving his mother with seven children to educate and care for. She did her work so well that her sons gained from her the generous spirit, strict honesty, and moral courage that were marked traits in her 102 Heroes of the Faith character. Their tutor, an earnest Christian and fine scholar, taught them to think for themselves, and neither to take other people's ideas as always correct nor to repeat words like parrots, without thinking what they meant. And so, thinking things out for themselves and forming their own opinions, they came to have genuine convictions that were not so easily changed as were those of many about them. A Born Soldier. The way of promotion for a young man of noble birth in those days was through the army. War was a large part of the nation's business, and the hero of the day was the successful soldier. Young Coligny knew that this was to be his business, and accordingly he trained himself for it. While other young men — including his friend Francis, as time went on — ^were giving themselves up to excesses of pleasure, he accustomed himself to severe physical exercise, lived a pure and temperate life, and so built up a strong constitution that could stand the hardships of military campaigns. His advancement was rapid. He distinguished himself from the first for bravery, wisdom and coolness. Besides this, he showed that he knew how to command men and win their respect and obedience. He was given more and more important commands until, when only thirty years old, he was made commander-in-chief of all the infantry, and five years later he was made admiral of France, with command of all her naval forces. Religious Convictions. Gaspard de Coligny was a devout Catholic, Hke most of his friends, but he carried into his religion the same habit of thinking for himself that he had formed in other things. Conditions in the French church were much the same as we have found that they were in England, Italy, and Germany — a great deal of dead for- mality with little genuine Christian spirit. Especially did the church in- sist that men should think and act in religious matters as the pope and the priests told them to. Many of the Admiral CoUgny. -^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ Women in France were beginning to see that this was not right, and were accept- ing the reformed faith with its simpler and purer worship. Lesson Twenty-one — Gaspard de Coligny 103 These Protestants, or Pluguenots, as they were called in France, were bitterly persecuted, and thousands of them were killed in the most cruel manner. In spite of this, they increased in numbers at a remarkable rate. Admiral Coligny finally became convinced that he too ought to accept the reformed faith. He knew that it meant trouble for him, the loss of royal favor, fewer chances for promotion and honor, with the possibility of persecution and even death. But he was convinced that it was his duty, and that settled the matter. Fighting for the Faith. For long years the Huguenots had endured persecution without resistance, but the time came when patience seemed no longer a virtue. The best of the Catholics also realized that there had been too much persecution, but the ambition and spite of Francis de Lorraine, who had become duke of Guise, led to still further outrages. The Protestant nobles felt that it was time for them to take arms and defend their rights, and they turned to the prince of Conde and Admiral Coligny as the two men who could lead them. Thus began the dreary wars of religion which for twelve long years cursed France with civil strife and cost the lives of thousands of her bravest and best. There was much cruelty on both sides, for the Protestants, goaded to desperation by the persecutions of their foes, often retaliated in anything but a Christian spirit. Both sides had much to learn of the true spirit of Christianity. But Coligny was ever the last to enter into civil war, patient to extremes in trying to avoid it, and always and ever a fair fighter. His worst enemies were never able to convict him of any act of treachery. His word was trusted by every one, friend and foe alike. He was the first commander France had seen who disciplined his troops and tried to keep them from the acts of plunder and cruelty that marked the warfare of that age. He was a formidable foe, but a chivalrous one. It is worth while to read the story of those wars, much too long to be told here, that we may get some idea of the value of religious liberty. Freedom of conscience is now common, but it cost blood and agony to win it, and Gaspard de Coligny's name should stand high on the honor roll of those Heroes of the Faith whom we have to thank for what we now enjoy. On one side were two weak kings in succession, Francis IJ 104 Heroes of the Faith and Charles IX, dominated by Catharine de' Medici, the queen mother, and the duke of Guise, all fighting selfishly to maintain their own power at whatever cost to the nation. On the other side were the Huguenots, fighting for freedom to worship God in the way they honestly believed to be right. The Protestants secured several treaties granting what they asked for, only to have them ignored and broken as soon as they had laid down their arms. Finally Coligny forced the king's party to sign a treaty with some guarantees, and thought that at last the battle was won. He now took up the task ^f helping to restore peace and order, and to build up the nation that had been so sorely weakened. He won the con- fidence and respect of king Charles, and it seemed for a time as if he were to succeed in his patriotic aims. But all this angered queen Catharine and the Guises as they saw their power and influence slipping away. They determined to get rid of Coligny. Black Treachery. Honorable means would have accom- plished nothing against such a man as the admiral, so they adopted treachery, and perpetrated one of the foulest crimes that ever stained the history of any nation. They took advantage of a time when large numbers of Huguenots were in Paris, having been invited there to attend the wedding of the king's sister and Henry of Navarre, a Huguenot leader. The conspirators first attempted the assassination of Coligny. He was fired upon from the window of a house, and badly wounded but not killed. The assassin escaped. The king flew into a rage and vowed terrible vengeance upon those responsible. In desperation Catharine de' Medici and the duke of Guise then persuaded Charles that the Huguenots were planning another uprising and an attack upon himself, and that his only hope of safety lay in having them all killed. The weak, cowardly king at length consented, although he knew perfectly well that this meant first of all the death of the man whom he himself had called the wisest counselor, the most faithful friend, and the bravest general of his realm. The plans were secretly but quickly made. The houses of the Protestants were marked with chalk. The Catholics provided themselves with white badges that they might distinguish one another in the darkness. Then, on che night before St. Bartholomew's Day, the signal was given by the ringing of a church bell, and the bloody work began. Admiral Lesson Twenty-one — Gaspard de Coligny 105 Coligny was one of the first victims. The men who had been placed about the house where he lay wounded, with the pre- tense of guarding him, forced an entrance and slaughtered him in cold blood without giving any opportunity for defense. His body was thrown out of the window, that the duke of Guise, his old friend, might be sure of his death. In their cowardly spite the mob heaped all manner of insults upon the lifeless corpse. For days the dreadful slaughter continued, until most of the Huguenots, especially the leaders, were killed. The World's Verdict. Thus died Admiral Gaspard de Coligny, one of the noblest men that ever lived in any land. He died a martyr to a seemingly lost cause. The pope caused the bells to be rung in Rome, and had a special medal struck off to celebrate this glorious victory of the Catholic church over the heretics. The cruel Philip of Spain also greatly rejoiced. But the rest of the civilized world revolted in horror and disgust from so dastardly a crime. To-day the names of Catharine de' Medici and Charles IX are uni- versally despised, while that of Coligny is honored. His life was not in vain, for he helped to bring nearer the day when religious liberty did become a fact, and when men could worship God according to their own consciences. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. In addition to this story, read whatever you can find about Coligny or the Huguenots of France. Any history of France will give information. Walter Besant's biography of Coligny is very interesting. 2. Find out especially about Coligny's defense of St. Quentin, and the Huguenots of La Rochelle. 3. What traits of character were developed in Coligny by his early training? 4. Who was his closest friend in young manhood, and how did the friendship turn out? 5. What qualities are most desirable in a friend? 6. What good quality is most apparent in the character of Coligny ? 7. The following stories deal with the times of the Hugue- nots: A Cardinal and his Conscience, by Graham Hope; For the Religion, and A Man of his Age, by Hamilton Drum- mond; Saint Bartholomew's Eve^ by Geo. A. Henty,* Sister Rose, by Emily S. Holt. 106 Heroes of the Faith NOTE-BOOK WORK. 8. Head a new page with Coligny's name, and write a short story of his Hfe, bringing in any points that you may have learned from the story above, or from other sources. Illustrate it with any appro- priate pictures that you can find. 9. Write at the end of your story the kind of epitaph or inscription that you think would be appropriate for a monument to the meniory of Coligny. MEMORY WORK. Learn the whole of the Fifteenth Psalm, and note how much of it applies to the character of Cohgny. Lesson 22. JOHN KNOX. " Who Never Feared the Face of Man." Born 1505 (?); died Nov. 24, 1572. " Take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to with- stand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand." Eph. 6: 13. A Land of Heroic Deeds. Have you read vSir Walter Scott's stories about Ivanhoe, and Robin Hood and his Merry Men, or Rob Roy, or Kenilworth Castle ; or any of the tales of the Scottish Highlanders? If so, I think you must have felt a little of that tingle in the blood that comes to every Scotchman when he thinks of his native country. For the history of Scotland is full of stories of brave deeds and stirring adventure. Again and again have her hills and valleys rung with such war-cries as that of Black Douglas: " Come every hill-plaid, and True heart that wears one, Come every steel blade, and Strong hand that bears one." Too often the clans have been called together to fight for some ignoble and selfish purpose, but there have also been those who, like the Scottish Covenanters, fought for the highest and truest liberty — liberty of conscience ; and the hero of this lesson was one of those who helped to inspire the hearts of men for this battle. Stirring Times in the World. We do not know exactly when John Knox was born ; probably in 1505, though §ome say 1513, or thereabouts. At any rate, he would hear stories Lesson Twenty-two — John Knox 107 in his boyhood about the fierce fighting between the Scotch and Enghsh at Flodden Field, and learn to respect the courage of his countrymen. Luther nailed up those theses of his, that made such a stir, when Knox was very young, and all those other heroic deeds m behalf of the Reformation, that we have read about, came during the lifetime of Knox. He had plenty to stir his mind with high ideals of truth and loyalty and nobility of purpose. We shall see what influence these things had upon him. While at school at Haddington, and during his university life at Glasgow, he was learning to think more and more seriously about these great events, and of what they might mean for him and for Scotland and for the whole world. A Church in Sore Need. When we remember how many great preachers Scotland has given to the world, it seems strange to think that the religious condition could ever have been so bad as it was in the boyhood of John Knox. The clergy were rich and lazy and corrupt. The priests were appointed to their positions by the government, and many of these benefices, as they were called, paid large incomes. Such positions were openly bought and sold instead of being given to those who were really best fitted to act as ministers. Quentin Kennedy, a Catholic abbot, unfriendly to Knox, frankly describes the situation when he says, " And when they have gotten a benefice, if they have a brother or son who can neither sing nor say, nourished in vice all his days, he shall be immediately mounted on a mule, with a sidegown and a round bonnet, and then it is a question whether he or his mule know best to do his office." When things get to such a pass that people have little better than donkeys to teach them, we can imagine how much the people themselves are likely to know about God and the higher things of life. The Blood of the Martyrs. While Knox was still a youth, an event occurred which startled every thoughtful man in Scotland. Patrick Hamilton, a youth of royal blood and educated for the church, had been to Wittenberg and learned from Luther the ideals of the Reformation, and had accepted them. He returned to Scotland and began to teach his countrymen the new faith. Decoyed to the castle of wSt. Andrews, on pretext of a conference, he was imprisoned and sentenced to be burned alive. Such an act of tyranny, for 108 Heroes of the Faith no other reason than to prevent men from thinking and worshiping God in their own way, made a deep impression upon an independent and fearless lad such as Knox was. About twenty years later another man, George Wishart, was preaching the reformed faith in Scotland, and Knox was greatly influenced by his sermons. When it became evident that Wishart was in danger of being assassinated, Knox attended him as a body-guard, carrying a sword. But the time came when Wishart, too, was arrested and put to death, and Knox received one more impression that was to make him a stern champion and almost fierce fighter for the re- formed faith. Knox's Preaching. Knox himself had studied for the ministry, and had been ordained as a priest. P'or years he was part of the mechanical and unworthy system of the Roman church, and taught under its direction in the Univer- sity of St. Andrews, but he was ever more dissatisfied with it, and finally broke with it entirely and declared himself a Protestant. And so keen was his sense of the unworthiness and tyranny of that old system that he came to hate it with a deadly hatred which also included those who remained in it. This fierce hatred of a system in which Knox saw little good and boundless in- iquity, often led him to express himself in words that may seem unnecessarily bitter and severe. John Knox. g^^ ^j^^y ^^^^ abundantly justi- fied by the cruelties and injustices which were practised in those days in the name of religion, and which were apt to make even conscientious men stern and hard in their opposi- tion to them. Knox preached in the days when people used to listen without impatience to prayers two hours long, and sermons even longer, and such men must have been of sturdy and even stem minds. His call came to him in a strange way. A band of nobles and others, who, in desperation, had assassinated the cruel Cardinal Beaton, who had put to death by torture many Protestants, had taken refuge in the cardinal's own castle Lesson Twenty-two — John Knox 109 of St. Andrews, and Knox had gone there with them to be the tutor of some young men. Those who heard him teach felt that he ought to be preaching to more people, but Knox felt that he was not ready to do this. One day in church, the minister spoke of the call to the ministry, and then, turning upon Knox, told him before all the congregation that he was commissioned by the people to call him to preach. Knox was dismayed, and burst into tears and rushed from the room, but could not escape the sense of duty. He soon began preaching, and became known as the greatest preacher in Scotland, absolutely fearless in his utterances, often stern and harsh, but so sincere that every one who heard him was deeply moved. The English ambassador wrote of him, " This man puts more life into us in one hour than six hundred trumpets blustering in our ears." He was a fiery preacher, and preached so vigorously that another said it seemed as if he " would ding the pulpit into blads and flee out of it." But the thing that gave people the greatest confidence in him was that he would rebuke evil in the king or queen or the nobility just as quickly as in the humblest subject. Indeed, he was more severe on those high in position, as he evidently thought they had less excuse than the ignorant for their wrongdoing. Sent to the Galleys. The castle of St. Andrews was finally captured by the French, aided by the Catholic regent of Scotland, and Knox and his companions were taken prisoners and sent to the French galleys. These galleys were ships propelled by many long oars, and rowed by prisoners who were chained to their benches and forced to toil under the lash of the driver. Knox shared this cruel hardship with the others for eighteen or nineteen months. During the latter part of his captivity he was seized with fever, and all on board the galleys despaired of his life. At this time they were off the coast of Scotland, and a friend pointed out to him one day the spires of St. Andrews, asking if he knew what place that was. ** I know it well," replied Knox, " for I see the steeple of that place where God first opened my mouth in public to His glory; and I am fully persuaded, how weak soever I now appear, that I shall not depart this life, till that my tongue shall glorify His name in the same place." He was then so ill that this seemed like a rash prophecy, but his faith and courage were destined to 1 10 Heroes of the Faith be rewarded. In February, 1549, he was liberated from the galleys and sent to England, where he was greatly honored and where he spent five years rendering most valuable help in carrying on the Reformation during the reign of Edward VI. Then came the reign of Bloody Mary, and Knox again showed his fearlessness by openly rebuking the people for their ex- pressions of joy over her coronation, when it seemed only too clear that it was an ill event for England and for the true faith. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Turn to the map of Scotland in your geography or atlas, and look at the general outline of the country. Notice how its coast-line is cut up into points and promontories, with lochs and firths and rivers running far up inland. Notice, too, how the country is covered with mountain ranges. These facts explain much of the story of Scotland, for these highlands and valleys and watercourses made it possible for the clans to maintain their independence and defend them- selves against even a superior force, just as the old Greek heroes did, or the tribes of Israel. 2. Find the city of Glasgow on the river Clyde; then look over on the other side of Scotland, and find Edinburgh, on the Firth of Forth ; then look for St. Andrews on the pro- montory reaching out into the ocean northeast of Edinburgh ; and you will have the principal scenes of Knox's life-work. 3. Read the story, and anything more that you can find out about Knox. Try to imagine how you would feel toward your minister if, instead of being the kind of man he is, he were the kind that Quentin Kennedy describes, and if he were to tell you that, whether you liked it or not, you must go to church and worship just as he said, or be punished and perhaps killed. 4. Name some of the events in the history of the Reforrna- tion in other lands that John Knox must have heard about. 5. How do you think these things would be likely to affect him? 6. How did he receive his call to preach? What other character, of whom you have studied in these lessons, was called in about the same way? What is the best way to get a call or a promotion to a better place in life ? 7. What effect did this call have upon Knox at first? Lesson Twenty-three — John Knox 111 Do you find anything like this in Ex. 3: 10, 11 ; 4: 10 ; or Jer. 1:0? What made Moses and Jeremiah finaUy feel that they could do the work to which they were called (Ex. 3: 12 first part ; Jer. 1:8)? S. What events most influenced Knox to become a Protestant? NOTE-BOOK WORK. 9. Write a short story of the early life of Knox, bringing in the following things: The religious condition of Scotland, the stirring events in other lands of which Knox must have heard ; the circumstances that caused him to become a Protestant, and the experience that tested his courage and deepened his feelings of opposition to the Roman church. MEMORY WORK. Learn the First Psalm. Lesson 23. JOHN KNOX. The Hero of the Scottish Reformation. " Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at them, lest I dismay thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to deliver thee." Jer, 1 : 17-19. " 'Tis man's perdition to be safe When for the truth one ought to die." Fierce Persecutions. The reign of Bloody Mary in England, where Knox had gone after his liberation from the galleys, was marked by a succession of martyrdoms, the queen being determined to undo the work of Henry VIII and Edward VI, and to restore the Roman church to power. Sixty-five were burned to death in one year, seventy in the next, the whole number of martyrs under her reign being three hundred. But two things convinced the people that the Protestants were right. One was the cleaner, purer, more unselfish lives that most of them lived ; the other was their courage and firmness under persecution. Two of the most distinguished victims were Bishop Latimer and Bishop Ridley. As they were fastened tl2 Heroes of the Faith to the stake, Bishop Latimer said, " Master Ridley, play the man; we shall this day, by God's grace, light such a candle in England as I trust shall never be put out." Another victim was Cranmer, who had been archbishop of Canterbury but had accepted the reformed faith. During his imprison- ment he had wavered, and, in a moment of weakness, had signed a paper taking back his teaching against Catholicism. But when it came to the last he regained his courage and stoutly maintained his belief in the reformed faith. And when he, too, was burned he thrust his right hand into the flame and held it there steadily, saying, " This is the hand that wrote the recantation, therefore it first shall suffer punishment." Exiled for Conscience's Sake. Many of the Protestants in England left their homes and went to Geneva in Switzer- land, or to various towns in Germany, and among these was Knox. He himself was anxious to stay, even at the cost of his life, but the tears and entreaties of his friends finally prevailed on him to seek safety in flight. On the continent he lived for some years, preaching to the Reformed churches and writ-, ing letters home to strengthen the faith of those who were enduring hardships there. Meanwhile Protestantism was ad- vancing in Scotland. Mary Stuart, the queen, was but a child, and her mother, Mary of Guise, was regent. In order to gain her power she had favored the Protes- tants, whose numbers had increased by refugees from England, and matters had reached the stage where it seemed safe to call Knox home to resume his work there. Recalled to Scotland. His com- ing soon produced such an effect in the strengthening of Prot- estantism in Scotland that the Catholic clergy were stirred against him. He was finally summoned to appear before a council at Edinburgh, and, to the amazement of the bishops, he obeyed the summons. They did not expect him to come, and had planned to condemn him in his absence. His boldness turned John Knox*s House, Edinburgh. Lesson Twenty-three — John Knox 113 the tables, the clergy failed to appear against him and the accusation was dropped. Soon after thi:- he was again called to Geneva as pastor of the English church there, and so was out of Scotland for a number of years. Conflicts with the Authorities. When Knox again returned to Scotland he found that Mary of Guise, having gained the ends for which she had sought the favor of the Protestants, had thrown off the mask and was now attempting to crush out Protestantism altogether. But the preaching of the reformed ministers against the sins and evil-doing of which even the clergy were guilty had wakened a strong response in the hearts of the people, and they were not easily intimidated. When the archbishop summoned the reformed preachers before him at St. Andrews, a deputation of the Protestant nobles waited upon the queen regent and told her that if the pros- ecution of these men proceeded there would be a greater gathering at St. Andrews than Scotland had seen for a long time. The queen was alarmed and stopped the trial. Knox went about from place to place, preaching with fiery eloquence. He was proclaimed an outlaw and a rebel, which practically gave permission to any one to kill him. He went on preach- ing just the same. His spirit is well expressed in a letter written somewhat earlier than this: " Satan, I confess, rageth, but potent is He that promise th to be w4th us in all such enterprises as we take in hand at His commandment. And therefore the less fear we any contrary power; yea, in the boldness of our God we altogether contemn them, be they kings, emperors, men, angels, or devils." Soon after this, Knox was invited by the Protestant nobles to come to St. Andrews and preach. The archbishop stationed soldiers at the church, and served notice on Knox that if he entered the pulpit the soldiers would fire upon him. His friends tried to persuade him not to risk his life, but Knox would not listen. He entered the pulpit and preached with all his customary vigor, and there was no interruption. Matters soon came to a state of civil war. A price w^as set upon Knox's head, and a reward offered for his arrest or death, but this did not stop him in the least. Parliament finally met and declared for Protestantism as the form of worship to be observed in Scotland. Mary of Guise was deposed and after her death a few months later, Mary Stuart came home from France. 114 Heroes of the Faith Knox and Mary Queen of Scots. It was understood that Mary, who was a Catholic, should have liberty to worship as she chose in private, but that the rights which Parliament had established for the Protestants should be observed. She had not been long in Scotland, however, before it became evident that she intended to overthrow Protestantism if possible. When the news of the massacre of Vassy in France was received, the queen gave a ball at court. Knox denounced this act in a public sermon, and was summoned before the queen. She demanded an explanation of the sermon, which had been reported to her. Knox replied that if she had attended the service of worship, as she should have done, she might have heard for herself what had been said, and then proceeded to preach the sermon over again to her. As he was leaving the conference, he heard one of the attendants say with surprise, " He is not afraid." " Why should I be afraid of the pleasing face of a gentlewoman?" he replied; ** I have looked in the faces of many angry men and yet have not been afraid above measure." As queen Mary's views became better known the Catholic priests grew bolder in their attempt to re-establish the unlaw- ful Catholic worship, and some of the nobles in the west of Scotland took up arms to enforce the laws against them. The queen sent for Knox again to protest against this, al- though she herself had gone through the form of issuing proclamations which were supposed to order just what these men had done. Knox upheld the Protestants, and the queen finally exclaimed, " Will ye allow that they should take my sword in their hands?" ** The sword of justice is God's,'' replied the reformer firmly. Tried for Treason. Plans for the restoration of Catholicism, that had meant so much of tyranny, went on, and Knox was untiring in his efforts to oppose them. At the demand of the queen he was finally summoned before a council to answer to the charge of treason. Before the trial came off, every effort was made to persuade Knox to plead guilty and to throw himself on the mercy of the queen. He saw through this plan clearly enough and refused to do any such thing. The day of the trial came, and the yard of the palace and the avenues leading to it were crowded with people anxious to hear the result. Knox appeared before the council and with perfect frankness defended himself against the charge of Lesson Twenty-three — John Knox 115 treason, and to such good effect that the vote was over- whelmingly in his favor. The queen's secretary was so enraged that he asked the queen to come back into the council chamber and then called for the vote to be taken over again. This attempt at intimidation so enraged the council that they voted even more decidedly than before to acquit Knox of the charge brought against him. Last Days. The struggle went on, but Protestantism kept gaining strength all the while. Knox was appealed to on every side for counsel and advice. His voice could rally the discouraged as no other's could. His life was attempted again and again. On one occasion a bullet was fired through the window of his room, which must have killed him had he not been sitting in an unaccustomed place. As he grew older, and illness laid hold upon him, he would gladly have laid down the burdens of leadership, but he never refused a call to duty as long as his strength lasted. One of his last public acts was to preach a tremendous sermon in denunciation of the outrage of St. Bartholomew, the news of which had come from France. The French ambassador w^as present, and Knox told him to tell his master, " that cruel murderer and false traitor," that sentence was pronounced against him in Scotland, that divine vengeance would never depart from him, nor from his house, if repentance did not ensue. The ambassador was greatly angered, and tried to have Knox suppressed, but in vain. Not long after this the end came. John Knox had braved perils without number, but died quietly at home among friends, with the words of the Bible upon his lips. He was buried on November 26, 1572, in the churchyard of St. Giles, and as his body was laid to rest, the regent Morton pro- nounced his eulogy in these words: " Here lyeth a man who in his life never feared the face of man." Carlyle's tribute is well deserved: *' Honor to all the brave and true; ever- lasting honor to brave old Knox, one of the truest of the true !" DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. What things had most influence in convincing people that the Protestants were right? 2. Tell some incidents that showed the courage of the reformers. 116 Heroes of the Faith 3. In what ways did Knox himself show courage ? 4. In what ways are boys and girls to-day called upon to show the same kind of courage? 5. What gave Paul the courage to face persecutions and trials and hardships? (Rom. 8:35-39.) 6. How do you explain the fact that Knox's life was spared in spite of the many threats made against him, and the dangers by which he was surrounded ? NOTE-BOOK WORK. 7. Finish your story of John Knox, telling of the incidents in his later life, and write a paragraph at the end giving your opinion of him as a man. MEMORY WORK. Learn Rom. 8:35-39. Lesson 24. REVIEW OF LESSONS 13-23. The characters studied during this quarter are all noted as reformers, men who saw the evils that existed in the life about them, and tried to make things better. Most of them contributed to that great movement in European history known as the Reformation, by which people were brought out from bondage to the Roman Catholic church at a time when it had become frightfully corrupt, and enabled to worship God as they believed to be right. 1. Make a list of the characters studied, and the important points about them, as follows: Write across the page in your note-book the headings of four columns: " Name," " Coun- try," " Object of Reform," " Opposed by " ; and under these headings write the facts concerning each character. For example : Name Country Object of Reform Opposed by Elijah Israel Baal worship King Ahab and and tyranny Queen Jezebel 2. Answer these questions from memory, writing answers in the blank spaces. They are not arranged in the order of the lessons as studied. Lesson Twenty-four — Review of Lessons 13-23 117 (j) What does noblesse oblige mean? Which of these characters gives a fine example of this idea? (2) Who said, " Jehovah took me from following the flock, and Jehovah said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people "? (j) Of what reformer was it said, " He never feared the face of man"? (^) Who challenged four hundred prophets of a false religion to a test of their religion, and with Jehovah's help won a great victory over them? (5) Who wrote " A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing "? Do you know the rest of this hymn? {6) W^ho first translated the Bible into English ? (7) Who w^as called to preach to his countrymen, and, for his loyalty to the truth, was imprisoned and put into the stocks, lowered into a cistern, tried for treason, and at last (probably) stoned to death by those whom he tried to serve ? {8) Who was the heroic leader of the Reformation in Scot- land? (p) Who helped to save his city from her worst foes, helped her to obtain a better system of government, gave nobler ideals to her citizens, and was finally mobbed in her streets and martyred? (jo) Of whom was this line written? ** The solitary monk that shook the world." {11) Who organized the street boys of his city into an army for reform? 118 Heroes of the Faith 3. Write in your note-book the verse or poem learned during this quarter that you like best. 4. Which of the characters studied do you most admire, and why ? 5. Is there anything in the life about you, at home, at school, or on the playground that you think might well be reformed ? 6. What might you or other boys and girls of your age do to help make this thing better ? *' Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait." THIRD QUARTER Lesson 25. PAUL. ' The Persecutor who Became an Apostle. Born about a. d. 1 ; died about a. d. 64. " I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision." Acts 26: 19. An Old University Town. If you will look at the map of Asia, on the northeast shore of the Mediterranean sea, you will see a little river, called the Cydnus, flowing down from the north through the province of Cilicia ; and on this river, a few miles from its mouth, you will see the city of Tarsus. Tarsus. The city is very old, and even before the birth of Christ was famous for its schools, from which teachers were selected to teach the sons of the Roman emperors. It was also a rich and prosperous city, and ships used to come up the river to its wharves, bringing merchandise from many lands. There were fine palaces and beautiful gardens, a great market- place, the gymnasium and race-track, and other places for the amusement of the people. A Boy with a Future. In the Jewish quarter of this city, about nineteen hundred years ago, there lived a boy named Saul, whom we know better by the Greek form of his name, Paul. We do not know the names of his parents, which is rather a pity, for they deserve some credit for bringing up a boy who accompHshed all that Paul did in the world. As a 119 120 Heroes of the Faith Lesson little child he was very carefully taught in the law of the Jewish people. First, his mother told him thrilling stories of the old Hebrew patriots and prophets, that stirred his heart with a longing to be worthy of such an ancestry. Then, when he was five years old, his father began the lessons that would continue all through his school life, and Paul had to learn by heart verse after verse of the books of Moses and the traditions and teachings of the scribes. There were hundreds of different rules governing almost every action in life, and the young Jewish lad had to learn them all, and there was hardly anything that he could do from one day's end to another without having to think of some rule for it. School and College. When Paul was six years old, he was sent to school, where he sat upon the floor with the other boys while the teacher sat upon a platform at one end of the room. In a singsong voice the teacher would repeat some sentence and then beckon to the boys to repeat it. Instantly every voice would be raised, as the pupils shouted the words that the teacher had just spoken. The din would seem like utter confusion in a modem school, but this was the way these boys were taught, and in this way they learned by heart all the books of the law as well as the traditions. When Paul was thirteen years of age he was called a Son of the Law, which meant that he was supposed to know the law well enough to be held responsible for acting in accordance with its teachings, and when we remember that there was a rule for everything in life, this meant a great deal. Paul had to take an examination at the synagogue, and then one day he stood up before the people, and one of the rabbis placed upon his left arm, near his heart, a little black box of leather with two long strips of leather attached. These strips were wound seven times around his arm down to the hand, then three times about the hand and tied in a knot at the middle finger. In this little box were four texts of Scripture that had been written with a specially prepared ink, and part of the words were: ** It shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of Jehovah may be in thy mouth." This phylactery, as it was called, Paul always wore when he entered the synagogue, and later in life he bound another upon his forehead also. In course of time Paul went on from the synagogue school to the school at Jerusalem, where he had for a teacher one pf Twcray-nv9 p^ul 121 the wisest of the rabbis of that time, named GamaHel, whose grandfather Hillel was author of one of the greatest of the rabbinical teachings: " What you yourself dislike, do not to your neighbor." Learning a Trade. While Paul was still a small boy he learned the tent-maker's trade from his father. Every Jewish boy was obliged to learn some trade in order that he might be able to support himself, even though he might not expect to follow that trade all the time. Those who were studying to be teachers were no exception, for the rabbis were not expected to take money for their teaching. One of them said, " Use not the law as a spade to dig with " ; and another said, " Work is great ; it honors God." So Paul went into the weaving shed and learned to weave the strong, firm cloth of goats' hair, from which tents were made and for which Cilicia was famous. It is likely that his father would go away up the valley to the mountains where the shepherds had their flocks of goats, and bring back with him great bundles of hair, which had to be combed out and spun into thread, and some of it dyed red or brown or purple or green for the patterns of the tent cloth. Probably Paul accom- panied his father on such trips, and had rare times, with all the work, tramping over the fields, or fishing in the stream, and undoubtedly being hunted now and then by wild animals or possibly by wild men as well. Of the Strictest Sect of the Pharisees. So young Paul grew to manhood, and became a well-trained Pharisee, one of those Jews who believed that salvation and peace were to be found in strict observance of the laAv. He was taught, too, that others were not quite as good as the Pharisees, and that the Gentiles, or those who were not Jews, were really outcasts and not fit to associate with. He was taught to believe that God had chosen the Jews above all others to receive His blessing ; that the Messiah who was coming should be a great national leader to set them free from Rome, and that any who opposed the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees were to be punished severely. All this shows why Paul joined in persecuting the early Christians. Paul and the Christians. As a young man, Paul undoubt- edly heard of Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, who, after a few years of teaching and gathering about Him a little band 122 Heroes of the Faith ^^^^n of disciples, . had been condemned to death and executed by the Roman authorities. No doubt he knew that the Jews had demanded His death on the charge of treason, although the real reason for their enmity was that they considered His teaching hostile to that of the scribes, and that they thought Him a blasphemer. But now a strange report was about, that this Jesus had risen from the dead, and His disciples were going about preaching and teaching that this was so, and that Jesus was really the expected Messiah, and that the rulers of the Jews were murderers for having had Him put to death. And many of the people were believ- ing them and being drawn away from the rehgion of the Jews. From what we have heard of Paul's early training we can see how all this would affect him. It seemed to him that these Christians ought to be put down, and he threw himself with all the energy of his nature into that work. He went from place to place arresting them, putting them into prison and having them killed as heretics. But all the while he could not help seeing that these Christians were good people. They were industrious, quiet, peaceable, unselfish, good in every way except that they did not any longer observe the Jewish law in their religious life. And this made Paul think a great deal. The Persecutor Becomes a Christian. One day he set out for Damascus, where many of these Christians had taken refuge, intending to hunt them down and punish them. As he drew near the city, he undoubtedly was thinking about the Christians he had seen martyred and those he was gojng to hunt. Suddenly there came a blinding flash of light, and he fell to the ground. He could see nothing, but as he lay there he heard a voice as clearly as if some one stood by his side, saying, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" And when he asked, " Who art thou. Lord?" the voice answered, " I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest." Paul understood then that in his mistaken zeal he was really persecuting, not the enemies, but the friends of God. He rose to his feet, bewildered and ashamed, and, led by his companions, for he still could see nothing, he went into Damascus. For several days he lay quietly trying to think what this all meant and what he ought to do. One of the Christians there came to see him and talked with him. Paul recovered his sight and determined that he would make good the mistakes of his life, TwetUv-nv Paul 123 so far as he could, by giving himself to preaching the Gospel of Christ as energetically as he had hitherto opposed it. This meant a great sacrifice for him. It meant turning his back upon his old friends, giving up the position of power and influence which he had in the Jewish church, and sub- jecting himself to the danger of such persecution as he himself had formerly inflicted on others. But he had become con- vinced that this was his duty, and he turned squarely about to face it. From this time on he was a different man, and this new ideal of life led him into some stirring adventures and hardships, as we shall see. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Mr. Robert Bird's PmLl of Tarsus is an interesting biography of the great Apostle. Read this book if possible, and also look up something about Paul and his birthplace in the Bible dictionary or encyclopedia. 2. Find out what you can about Tarsus, and then make a list of the things you think Paul would be likely to see and do as a boy. 3. Read Deut. 6:4-9 and find there the words which Paul would hear often in the synagogue, and which his mother would teach him to repeat. 4. Did Paul make use of the trade he learned as a boy? (Acts 18:3; 20:33, 34; 1 Thes. 2:9.) 5. What did Jesus think of the way in which the Pharisees kept aloof from others? (Lu. 16:9-14.) 6. What changed Paul from a proud Pharisee into a devoted Christian? See the story and read Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-18, and ch. 26. NOTE-BOOK WORK. 7. Write a short story of the boyhood of Paul, illustrating it with such pictures as seem appropriate. Raphael's St. Paul is a good one. Tell the story of Paul's conversion following after his persecution of the Christians. MEMORY WORK. Learn Deut. 6:4-9 and Paul's words before Agrippa, Acts 26:19 Do you see any connection between these two passages? 124 Heroes of the Faith Lesaon Lesson 26. PAUL. The Founder of Christian Missions. " Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." Rom. 15: 1. In Danger of his Life. Paul never hesitated a moment when his duty was clear. In the very city to which he had come to persecute the Christians he now proclaimed himself a convert to their faith. In the syna- gogue he told the story of his experience, and avowed his faith in Jesus as the Messiah. He soon found himself in exactly the same situation as those whom he had so lately hunted down. Word came that the Jews were plotting to kill him, and that they were watching the city gates to see that he did not escape. His friends took him by night to a lonely part of the city wall and let him down on the outside. Away in the darkness, a hunted Christian, ran he who shortly before had ridden toward that city with power from the high priest to hunt down the Christians. And yet Paul did not regret the change, nor did he ever cease to be glad that he had become a Christian. We cannot here tell all the adventures and hardships he had to meet, but we may glance at a few scenes, enough to show the energy and resource- fulness of this man. Foreign Missionary Work. From Damascus Paul went to Jerusalem, and there preached his new faith with such boldness and power that he soon found that city dangerous, and his friends again sent him away, this time to his old home. Tarsus. Meanwhile the Christians were finding that the Gentiles also received with joy the good news of God's love as Jesus had taught it, and Paul was soon called to Antioch, where his learning and skill in argument were needed to help per- suade the educated Greeks of that city. Thus Paul began his career as the Apostle to the Gentiles or, as we should say to-day, as a foreign missionary^ It was at Antioch in Syria that the disciples were first called Christians, the name being Tweruv-stx p^ul 125 given to them probably as a nickname, in derision. But Paul, who was not afraid of being killed, certainly was not afraid of being laughed at, and went on with his work. In a letter which he later wrote, he said: " I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation." The Christian church at Antioch grew larger and stronger, and began to think of sending to others the Gospel that had so blessed them. So they sent out Paul and Barnabas as for- eign missionaries. Adventures Abroad. First they went to Cyprus, then across the sea to Antioch in Pisidia. Here they spoke in the synagogue with such power as to convince many, but some of the Jews there refused to listen. The Apostles then went to Iconium, and on to Lystra and Derbe. In Lystra, Paul was able to cure a lame man who had been a cripple ever since he was born. This so amazed the people that they declared the Apostles to be gods come down to earth in human form. They even prepared to offer sacrifices to them. But when certain hostile Jews from Pisidian Antioch arrived, having followed the Apostles from that city, they stirred up a riot, and the fickle populace began to stone the Apostles. Paul fell, and they dragged him outside the city like some dead dog, and left him by the roadside, thinking that he was dead. He soon revived, however, and w^ent on to the next city to continue the perilous work. Scourged and Imprisoned. Paul was to have other oppor- tunities of proving his loyalty and courage. At one time in Philippi he and Silas, his companion on this trip, found a poor demented girl whom the people believed to have the power of divination or, as we should say, fortune-telling. Her masters took advantage of this delusion and made a great deal of money thereby. Paul was able to cure the girl, which greatly angered her masters. They dragged the two Apostles before the magistrates, who ordered that they should be flogged. They were hurried to the w^hipping post, and, in spite of all protests, flogged on the bare back until the blood ran. Then they were thrown into a dungeon, probably a dark, dismal, underground cave. Their feet were fastened in the stocks, thus increasing the discomfort of their condition. But this did not seem to discourage them in the least. Instead of bewailing their lot, they passed the time in singing, and 126 Heroes of the Faith the other prisoners listened, wondering. Suddenly there came an earthquake. The walls swayed, the stocks were broken, the doors swung open, and all the prisoners might have rushed out. The jailer came running to the prison in great terror, for if his prisoners had gone he would have lost his life. Supposing that of course they had escaped, when he saw the open doors, he was about to kill himself, when Paul cried out of the darkness, " Do thyself no harm: for we are all here !" Grateful and amazed, he came in and brought the Apostles out of the prison into his own home, washed their wounds, and tried to make them more comfortable. Mean- while they told him of Jesus until he cried out, " What must I do to be saved?" and before the night was over he was baptized as a convert to the Christian faith. The Magistrates Humbled. The next morning orders came from the magistrates to let the Apostles go. But Paul decided that these men needed a lesson. They had been guilty of a serious violation of the law in having publicly beaten two Roman citizens, without trial. If this were reported at Rome, they would be very severely punished, and they knew it. So Paul returned answer: " They have beaten us unjustly and publicly, and we are Roman citizens, and do they now think to send us away privately? Nay, verily! let them come themselves and bring us out." It must have been an interesting sight to see these proud magis- trates coming down to the prison with fear and trembling and humble apologies to the man whom they had so mistreated. This was not the only time that Paul's Roman citizenship served him well. Some years later, in Jerusalem, the Jews stirred up a riot, claiming that Paul had desecrated the temple. The Roman soldiers seized Paul, and the captain of the guard ordered him to be scourged, hoping thereby to get some kind of confession from him. They were tying him up to the whipping-post when Paul said to the centurion, " Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without trial?" The officer at once sent word to the captain, " Have a care what you do. This man is a Roman." Post-haste came the captain to know if this were true. He could hardly believe that this poor Jew could have gained so great a privilege, one that had cost him a great deal of money. " But I am a Roman born," replied Paul. He was untied at once, and the captain took good care to protect him against the hate of the Jews Twenty-ais Paul 127 who were plotting' to kill him. He sent him to Caesarea for trial before, the Roman governor there. Here he was held a prisoner until finally he appealed to Caesar, as was his right as a Roman citizen. This meant that he must go to Rome, and it was to mean other adventures. Before he went, however, he was brought before king Agrippa, and deHvered that splendid defense of the faith which you may read in the twenty-sixth chapter of Acts. A Stormy Voyage. So it came to pass that Paul took ship for Rome. He was in charge of a centurion named Julius, Map for Tracing Paul's Missionary Journeys. an officer of the Augustan troop. As the voyage proceeded he won the respect and confidence of all on board, and the time came when they all listened to him and owed their lives to his advice. As they went on they encountered stormy and contrary winds. They were obliged to run under the lee of the island of Crete, and Paul, who was well acquainted with these Mediterranean storms, advised that they put up for the winter where they were. But the captain advised pushing on for a better harbor at the end of the island, and the centurion took his advice. A sudden storm came upon them and drove the ship from her course. The waves beat in upon them, and they lightened the vessel by throwing part of the freight and their spare tackle overboard. Every one 128 Heroes of the Faith ^^^^^n gave up hope of ever seeing land again except Paul, who declared that the angel of the Lord had come to him in a vision, saying that they should be saved. At last, in the darkness of the night, they heard the sound of breakers, and knew that they were approaching land. They let go anchors to keep themselves from being dashed on the rocks. Now the sailors turned cowards, and prepared to leave the ship and all on board to their fate. They lowered the boat, pre- tending that they were going to take an anchor out from the bow. But Paul, who had been watching things closely, warned the centurion of their purpose, and he ordered his soldiers to cut away the boat. Then the sailors had to go back to their work. The next morning, after throwing all the remaining cargo overboard, they hoisted the foresail, cut loose from the anchors, and tried to steer the ship on to a sandy strip of beach. The bow caught upon a bar, however, leaving the stern still in deep water with furious seas breaking over it, and the ship began to go to pieces. Nevertheless, all reached the shore in safety, some by swimming, some on planks, or other bits of wreckage or rigging. At Rome. Julius reached Rome at last, and turned his prisoner over to the authorities there. He must have given a good report of Paul, for he was treated with great considera- tion. For two years Paul lived in his own hired house, meet- ing his friends, and teaching the Christian faith, until his trial before Caesar came. It is not certain whether he was then condemned and put to death, or was liberated for a time only to be again arrested, when the frightful persecutions under Nero broke out during which thousands of Christians lost their lives. But in whatever way he died, nothing could alter the facts of which he wrote to Timothy: " I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness." DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Besides the story, read Acts 11:19 — 28:31, and some of the sketches in Mr. Bird's Paul of Tarsus, if possible. 2. What may Paul have thought of when he was being stoned at Lystra? Does Acts 7: 57 — 8:1 suggest anything.? 3. Trace on the map the missionary journeys of Paul as TwerUv-seveH John Eliot 129 narrated in Acts. About how many miles did he travel? Remember how few conveniences for travel they then had. 4. What did Paul think about the hardships he had to meet? Read 1 Tim. 1:12-16. 5. Did Paul ever regret having forfeited his position of power and influence for the sake of Christianity? Judge from Phil. 3:7,8; 4:10-13. Philippians was written when he was an old man in prison. NOTE-BOOK WORK. 6. Give a brief outline of the later events of Paul's life after his con- version, and tell more fully about the scene or incident that most in- terests you. 7. Write a short paragraph giving your judgment of Paul's charac- ter. What seem to you the most significant traits in his character? MEMORY WORK. - Learn the great classic of Paul's writings (1 Cor. ch. 13), in which he gives the motive that inspired his life. Lesson 27. JOHN ELIOT. First Preacher to the Indians. Bom 1604; died May 20, 1690. " God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him." Acts 10:34, 35. *' Ye whose hearts are fresh and simple. Who have faith in God and Nature, Who believe that in all ages Every human heart is human, That in even savage bosoms There are longings, yearnings, strivings For the good they comprehend not, That the feeble hands and helpless. Groping blindly in the darkness, Touch God's right hand in that darkness And are lifted up and strengthened: — Listen to this simple story," So Longfellow sang in his Song of Hiawatha, that we all come to love as children. And this is the story of a man who had such faith in God and Nature and in human hearts that he was willing to take a great deal of pains, and endure a great 130 Heroes of the Faith Lesson deal of hardship, in order to teach men more about the things for which they were longing and striving without knowing very clearly what they wanted. A Country Pastor. A good many years ago, while the New England colonies yet belonged to England, John Eliot came from England to America to find some place where he could worship according to his conscience, and teach what he thought was true. He became pastor of a little church in Roxbury, Mass., now a part of Boston. He was an earnest, hard- working minister, noted for his great generosity, his peace-loving spirit, and his devotion to his people. He was so generous that he sometimes gave away what he really needed for his family and himself. Once the treasurer of the church gave him his John Eliot salary tied up in a handkerchief. From a print, copyrighted by Foster KnOwing hoW gCnCrOUS thc gOOd man Brothere, Boston. ^^^^ ^^^ trcasurcr tied the money up very tightly, thinking that thus Mr. Eliot would be sure to get home with his salary. But on the way the minister called upon a widow whom he found in destitute circumstances. He at once took out the handkerchief and began pulling at the knots. They would not come untied, whereupon he handed the whole thing over to her, saying, " Here, take it, the Lord evidently intends that you should have it all." Mr. Eliot's love of peace was quite as great as his generosity. Once he was asked to meet with some other ministers to talk over a matter about which there had been a dispute. He came into the room, and settled the whole quarrel by picking up the package containing all the correspondence about the dispute and throwing it into the fire. He was a man who had a clear conscience. A friend once spoke to him about heaven, and Eliot said, " Were I sure to go to heaven to-morrow, I would do as I do to-day.'* Indian Neighbors. On the hills about Roxbury there lived a great many Indians. Much of the land still belonged to them, though the whites had obtained possession of large parts of it. There were five great nations, or sachemships; TwerUv-aevm John Eliot 131 Pequots, Narragansetts, Pawkunnawkuts, Pawtucketts, and Massachusetts. Many of our names of places are derived from these Indians, as we see. These Indians were wild, fierce in warfare, ignorant and untaught. The men were idle, for the most part, while the women toiled hard. They painted their bodies with bright colors, and adorned them- selves with feathers and shells and the teeth and claws of animals. When ill they called their medicine men, who performed various incantations and rites to drive away the evil spirits. They believed in a Good Spirit, " Tantum," and many evil spirits, " Squantum." These evil spirits lived in the streams, the trees, the flames of the camp-fire and almost every object of nature. We can imagine how full of fear life must have been to one who imagined an evil spirit seeking to possess him at any time. And yet these Indians had many noble traits of character. They were dignified, quick-witted, keen and alert. They have been called the " natural-born gentlemen of America." Eliot Visits the Indians. John Eliot made up his mind that he ought to do something for these ignorant savages. But first of all he had to learn their language. More than that, they must be taught to write their own language, for there was no alphabet, no grammar. It was a spoken language only. That would seem like a hard piece of work, but what do you think of attempting such a task with a language that had words in it like ** Weetappesittukgnssunnookwehtunk- quoh," or " Kummogokdonattoottammoctiteaongannun- nonash," the nearest he could find for catechism? When his New Testament was finally translated it w^as called " Wusku Wuttustamentum Nut Lordumnum Jesus Christ Nuppoquohwussuaeneunun." How would you like to study that at school? EHot simply says, " I found out a ready- witted man who pretty well understood our language: him I made my interpreter. By his help I translated the Com- mandments, the Lord's Prayer, and many texts of Scripture, I diligently marked the difference of their language and ours, and when I found the way of them, I would pursue a word, a noun, a verb, through all the variations I could think of." The secret of his success may be found in the words that he wrote at the end of his Indian grammar: " Prayers and ppins, through faith in Jesus Christ, will do anything." 132 Heroes of the Faith ^^^ Waban the Chief. Eliot finally learned enough of the language to begin preaching, and met the Indians at the wigwam of Waban, one of the chiefs. His text was Ezek. 37:9: " Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Come from the four winds, O breath [or "wind"], and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." Now Waban means wind, and it seemed to this chief that Mr. Eliot was speaking directly to him. He was greatly impressed, and at night sat long before the camp-fire, talking with his people about what they had heard. They asked Mr. Eliot many questions: " What makes the thun- der?" " What makes the tide rise and fall?" " What makes the wind blow?" " Does God understand the Indian language?" '* Can He hear us when we pray?" ** Is it too late for the Indian to find God?" One chief arose with quiet dignity and said, " I have all my days been paddHng in an old canoe, and now you exhort me to leave my old canoe, which I have been hitherto unwilling to do ; but now, I yield myself to your advice, and enter into a new canoe, and do engage myself to pray henceforth to God alone." Hardships and Perils. Mr. Eliot often had to travel hard roads through the forests. He once wrote: " I have not been dry night nor day from the third day of the week unto the sixth, but so traveled, and at night pulled off my boots, wrung my stockings, and on with them again and so continue. But God steps in and helps. I think of 2 Tim. 2:3." Some of the chiefs were hostile. The powwows, or medicine men, opposed him, and his life was often in peril. Some of the whites misunderstood him and suspected him of unworthy motives, and this was even harder to bear. But he persevered until he saw many Indians Christianized, and a number of them serving as preachers. Villages were established for the ** praying Indians." The women learned to spin, and to make baskets and blankets, etc. The men learned to farm and build fences and raise crops. They made laws for them- selves, some of which are more strict than we ourselves make. For example : " Whosoever shall steale anything from another shall restore fourfold." Some laws show their particular temptations, as, ** Whosoever beats his wife shall pay twenty shillings." The Indian Wars. There came a time of setback and harm to this work when the Indians and the whites went to war TwerUyseven J^hn Eliot 133 with each other. There was wrong on both sides. The Indians were fierce and treacherous; the whites were often as fierce and unjust. But the " praying Indians " had a hard time of it during these wars. The other Indians hated them and called them traitors ; the whites distrusted and often abused them. Mr. Eliot came in for his share of the distrust and abuse, but worst of all for him was it to see his friends oppressed and driven back into savagery when he had worked so hard to bring them out. But his work was never entirely undone. The Indians have been driven back farther and farther as the white men have advanced, until now in large portions of the country all that remains to remind us of their former ownership is Indian names like Massachusetts, and Mississippi and Minnesota and the Hke. The histor}^ of our dealings with them has much in it of which the white man, with his greater knowledge and privilege, may well be ashamed, but we have improved somewhat, and societies like the American Missionary Association and others have tried to carry on the work that John Eliot began, educating and Christianizing these red men of America. Many of them are at Hampton Institute, the school founded by General Armstrong, and others are at Carlisle and other schools in the west. And they are all God's children. As Longfellow wrote : " Gitchie Manito, the mighty, The creator of the nations, Looked upon them with compassion, With paternal love and pity." DIRECTIONS FOR STUDY. 1. Read the lesson story and anything else that you can find about John EHot. Refresh your mind on what you have learned in United States history about the early colonial days in and around Boston, and about the Indians. 2. What were the chief traits in Eliot's character? 3. Name some illustrations of each of these traits of charac- ter. 4. What led him to undertake the work among the Indians ? 5. What difficulties had to be overcome ? 6. What was the result of his work? 7. What is being done for the Indians to-day in the way pf education and missionary work? 134 Heroes of the Faith ^"«